Bishop Joseph Strickland Investigation by the Vatican Raises Questions

A bishop in Tyler, Texas, is the subject of a formal investigation by the Vatican, a rare intervention by the Holy See in the affairs of the U.S. Catholic church.

Joseph Strickland, a firebrand member of the clergy who has frequently railed against what he described as "woke" values, was subject to an apostolic visitation last week, his church confirmed to Newsweek. Such an inquiry is when one or more emissaries of the Pope travel to a diocese.

It is unclear the reason why the bishop was investigated, or whether he had faced any form of reprimand. The Diocese of Tyler declined to comment on the grounds it was a "confidential" process, while the Vatican did not respond to multiple requests by Newsweek via phone and email for comment.

Elizabeth Slaten, the diocese's director of communications, told Newsweek on Wednesday that the apostolic visitation occurred last week. She told the National Catholic Reporter on Monday that the investigation occurred over "a series of days."

The Catholic News Agency reported on Sunday, citing sources within Strickland's diocese, that the inquiry had been led by Bishop Emeritus Gerald Kicanas of Tuscon, Arizona and Bishop Dennis Sullivan of Camden, New Jersey.

When asked about who had conducted the investigation, Slaten said: "The details of the visitation are confidential, and we have no comment on those details."

A spokesperson for the Diocese of Tucson confirmed to Newsweek that Kicanas had been "asked to participate" in the Diocese of Tyler apostolic visitation, but said aside from that it had "been provided no additional information about this matter."

Newsweek approached the Diocese of Camden via email for comment on Thursday.

Questioned on the outcome of the investigation, Slaten responded: "The entire process is confidential, as well as the results that come from it."

Strickland has been an outspoken voice on culture war issues such as LGBTQ+ inclusion and abortion,.

While he has a prominent following, with nearly 130,000 followers on Twitter and his own show on Christian radio, some view him as critical of Pope Francis and highly vocal for a prominent member of the clergy.

In a tweet on May 12, Strickland wrote that he believed that Pope Francis was the legitimate leader of the Catholic world, but added: "It is time for me to say that I reject his program of undermining the Deposit of Faith. Follow Jesus."

The current Pope has been viewed as one of the more progressive leaders of the Catholic faith. During his tenure, he has suggested that even atheists could go to heaven and that he did not judge homosexuals, as well as taking a softer stance on abortions and remarriage.

The deposit of faith is the belief among Catholics that all the knowledge of Christ was left to Christians in religious scripture and traditions.

On June 16, Strickland was a speaker at a rally of Catholics protesting the recognition of an LGBTQ+ group by the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, who often dress as nuns, were due to receive a community hero award at an annual LGBTQ+ Pride event before the move drew the ire of Catholic groups, who described them as an "anti-Catholic hate group."

Following backlash from the local LGBTQ+ community, the LA Dodgers apologized and reinvited them to the event to receive the award.

The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence have, since 1979, "devoted ourselves to community service, ministry and outreach to those on the edges, and to promoting human rights, respect for diversity and spiritual enlightenment," the group's website read.

However, the group has also performed stunts some Catholics found offensive, including an Easter festival in April which included a "hunky Jesus" contest and a person pole dancing next to another on a cross, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

"Brothers and sisters, we can't be shy about our faith," Strickland told the subsequent rally. "I often say that we must be 1st century Christians in the 21st century."

Asked about the reason for the apostolic visitation, Slaten said: "The entire process was confidential and we're not commenting on it."

Strickland has not commented publicly on the investigation, nor made explicit reference to it beside thanking those who had pledged their support following the apostolic visitation, but has remained active on Twitter in recent days, on occasion continuing to post remarks critical of the current state of the Catholic church.

"Let us pray constantly and fervently that more and more faithful Catholics will awaken to the devastating strangle hold that corruption has on the Roman Catholic Church," he wrote on Tuesday. "The Church which is the mystical body of Christ should be guiding us out of this darkness but she is weak."

Then, on Wednesday, he tweeted: "The greatest blessing and joy in my life is to shepherd the flock of Tyler. I speak the truth because it gives me joy and I must share it."

Update 06/30/23, 2:58 a.m. ET: This article was updated to include comment from a spokesperson for the Diocese of Tuscon.