It is rare for the pope to remove a bishop from office. The Vatican said it asked Strickland to resign Thursday, but he declined, prompting Francis to remove him from office two days later.
Pope Francis removes a leading US conservative critic as bishop of Tyler, Texas kiro7.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from kiro7.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
ROME (AP) Pope Francis on Saturday ordered the removal of the bishop of Tyler, Texas, a conservative prelate active on social media who has been a fierce critic of the pontiff and has come to symbolize the polarization within the U.S. Catholic hierarchy.