Timeline: Bishop Strickland's removal

On the day the Vatican published A Journey of Hope, its note marking sixty years of Nostra Aetate, Bishop Joseph Strickland wrote on X that the statement "must be rejected and repudiated by all who hold Jesus Christ and His Church as the only way to the Father," objecting to a passage on proselytism. LifeSiteNews reported his view that the note "can give rise to grave confusion"; The Letters from Leo, a newsletter covering the pontificate, pointed out that the note says dialogue must avoid relativism and syncretism.

In a letter dated 12 September 2026 and republished by OnePeterFive, Strickland told supporters who feared he had changed sides that he continues to defend the traditional Roman liturgy and has not moved from his positions.

Strickland published a statement on the Society of St. Pius X's announced episcopal consecrations, which the SSPX's news service presented as a plea for apostolic continuity. On 23 February he wrote that some had misrepresented his views and asked for prayers for Pope Leo and the SSPX's leaders.

In a message published by Pillars of Faith, Strickland objected to Pope Leo XIV's appointment of Cardinal Blase Cupich to a Vatican City governing body, while stating that he was not speaking in rebellion and remained loyal to the papal office.

Former Tyler bishop Joseph Strickland announced Pillars of Faith, an online apostolate that hosts his writings, pastoral letters and podcasts.

The Pillar reported that a letter from Strickland addressed to priests and distributed at an event at Mar-a-Lago urged them to take St. Peter Damian as a model and criticised Pope Francis. The Pillar also published an analysis asking whether his stance amounted to schism.

Pope Francis appointed Auxiliary Bishop J. Gregory Kelly of Dallas as bishop of Tyler, ending the period of apostolic administration that followed Strickland's removal.

While the US bishops met in Baltimore in November 2024, Strickland issued an open letter criticising Pope Francis and accusing fellow bishops of silence, OSV News reported.

Strickland posted on X asking for prayer that Pope Francis would clearly state that Jesus Christ is the only way, after the pope likened religions to different languages for approaching God at an interreligious meeting in Singapore.

Three days after his removal, Strickland led a rosary with a few dozen supporters outside the hotel hosting the US bishops' fall assembly. He told CNA that the apostolic nuncio had asked him not to take part in the meeting.

The Holy See announced that Pope Francis had relieved Bishop Joseph Strickland of the pastoral governance of the Diocese of Tyler, Texas, and named Bishop Joe Vásquez of Austin apostolic administrator. Cardinal Daniel DiNardo said Strickland had declined a request to resign two days earlier; the Vatican gave no public reason.

At the Rome Life Forum, Strickland read from a letter by an unnamed friend that, according to OSV News, called Pope Francis a usurper of Peter's chair, and himself accused the pope of backing an attack on the sacred.

Bishops Dennis Sullivan of Camden and Gerald Kicanas, retired bishop of Tucson, conducted a 19–24 June apostolic visitation of the Diocese of Tyler ordered by the Holy See. Its findings have not been published.

Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler posted that he accepted Francis as pope but rejected what he called the pope's program of undermining the Deposit of Faith. OSV News reported that the post followed his endorsement of Fr. Robert Spitzer's decision to cut ties with podcaster Patrick Coffin, who had questioned the authenticity of Francis's papacy.