In Very Rare Move, Pope Dismisses Conservative US Bishop Strickland

Catholic bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas, walks during a procession to protest the Los Angeles Dodgers honoring the pro-LGBTQ+ group Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence during LGBTQ+ Pride Night at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Calif., on June 16, 2023. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports via Reuters

VATICAN CITY—Pope Francis has dismissed Bishop Joseph E. Strickland of Tyler, Texas, one of his fiercest critics among U.S. Roman Catholic conservatives, a Vatican statement said on Saturday.

It is very rare for a bishop to be relieved of his duties outright. Usually, bishops in trouble with the Vatican are asked to resign before submitting a resignation, which the pope accepts.