Joseph Strickland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids His Excellency, The Most Reverend Joseph Strickland |
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| Bishop Emeritus of Tyler | |
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| Church | Catholic Church |
| Appointed |
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| Enthroned |
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| Reign ended |
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| Predecessor | Álvaro Corrada del Río |
| Successor | Gregory Kelly |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | June 1, 1985 |
| Consecration | November 28, 2012 by Daniel DiNardo, Michael Sheehan, and Álvaro Corrada del Río |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 31, 1958 Fredericksburg, Texas, U.S. |
| Education | Holy Trinity Seminary University of Dallas Catholic University of America |
| Motto | Ut inhabitem in domo Domini (That I may dwell in the house of the Lord) (Psalm 27:4) |
| Styles of Joseph Edward Strickland |
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| Reference style |
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| Spoken style | Your Excellency |
| Religious style | Bishop |
Joseph Edward Strickland (born October 31, 1958) is an American bishop of the Catholic Church. He served as the Bishop of Tyler from 2012 until Pope Francis removed him from his position in 2023.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Joseph Strickland was born on October 31, 1958, in Fredericksburg, Texas. When he was a young child, his family moved to Atlanta, Texas. There, his parents helped start the St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Parish. Strickland later attended Holy Trinity Seminary in Irving, Texas, to study for the priesthood.
Path to Priesthood
Strickland became a priest on June 1, 1985. Bishop Thomas Tschoepe ordained him for the Diocese of Dallas. His first job as a priest was at Immaculate Conception Parish in Tyler, Texas.
In 1987, the Diocese of Tyler was created. Strickland then joined this new diocese. He became its first director for vocations, helping people who wanted to become priests or religious. He also worked at Sacred Heart Parish in Nacogdoches, Texas and St. Michael Parish in Mt. Pleasant, Texas.
In 1992, Bishop Edmond Carmody sent Strickland to study canon law at Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. Canon law is the set of rules and laws that govern the Catholic Church. He earned a special degree in canon law in 1994.
After returning to Texas, Strickland became the judicial vicar for the diocese. This means he was the main judge in the church's court system. He also became the rector (head priest) of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. In 1995, Pope John Paul II gave him the title of monsignor, which is an honorary title for priests.
From March 2000 to January 2001, Strickland served as the apostolic administrator of the diocese. This means he temporarily led the diocese until a new bishop was appointed. He later became the vicar general in 2010, a senior assistant to the bishop.
Serving as Bishop of Tyler
Pope Benedict XVI chose Strickland to be the Bishop of Tyler on September 29, 2012. He officially became bishop on November 28, 2012, in Tyler, Texas. Cardinal Daniel DiNardo led the ceremony. Strickland was the first person born in Texas to lead the Tyler diocese.
As bishop, Strickland sometimes expressed strong views on various topics. In August 2018, he supported claims made by Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò about church leaders. He also spoke out about a Vatican report in October 2020, saying it was "evil." He invited Pope Francis to "fire me" for his comments.
In May 2023, Strickland stated that he believed Pope Francis was trying to change important church teachings. Because of concerns about his leadership, the Vatican conducted an "apostolic visitation" in June 2023. This is like an official visit and investigation to check how a diocese is being run.
After this investigation, church leaders suggested that Strickland should resign. However, in October 2023, Strickland publicly said he would not resign. He felt that resigning would mean abandoning the people he was chosen to lead.
On October 31, 2023, Strickland read a letter at a public event. The letter questioned Pope Francis's authority. Strickland described the letter as "challenging" and did not disagree with its content.
Removal from Office
The Dicastery for Bishops, a Vatican department, investigated Strickland's leadership. They decided that he could not continue as bishop. On November 9, 2023, he was asked to resign, but he refused.
Because he refused to resign, Pope Francis removed Strickland from his position as Bishop of Tyler on November 11, 2023. Bishop Joe Vásquez was then appointed to temporarily lead the diocese.
After his removal, Strickland said he was not sure of the exact reason. He believed he might have "threatened some of the powers that be with the truth of the Gospel." He encouraged Catholics to pray for Pope Francis and to stay faithful to the church.
Important Views
Politics and Society
Strickland often shared his views on politics and society. Before the 2012 U.S. presidential election, he led a prayer service in Tyler. He asked people to think about their beliefs and how those beliefs should guide laws and leaders.
In September 2020, Strickland supported a video by pastor James Altman. Altman had said that a person could not be both Catholic and a Democrat. Strickland told his followers to "heed this message."
In December 2020, Strickland spoke at a rally in Washington D.C.. This rally was held by supporters of President Donald Trump who wanted to challenge the results of the 2020 United States presidential election. By 2023, Strickland had also described President Joe Biden as "evil."
COVID-19 Pandemic
In May 2020, Strickland signed a petition that criticized restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. The petition suggested that these restrictions were meant to limit freedoms. It also raised doubts about how contagious and dangerous the virus was.
In December 2020, Strickland wrote a letter to his diocese about COVID-19 vaccines. He urged people to "reject any vaccine that uses the remains of aborted children." He also tweeted that any available vaccine involved "using murdered children." He stated, "I will not extend my life by USING murdered children. This is evil WAKE UP!"
Traditional Latin Mass
In June 2020, Strickland celebrated the Tridentine Mass for the first time. This is an older form of the Catholic Mass, also known as the Traditional Latin Mass. He described it as very respectful and beautiful. He encouraged Catholics to attend this form of Mass. He also encouraged those who liked the Tridentine Mass to attend the Mass of Paul VI (the more common modern Mass), saying it could also be celebrated respectfully.
Coat of Arms
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Images for kids
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Coat of arms of Joseph Edward Strickland
See also
In Spanish: Joseph Strickland para niños
