The Courage of a Voice for the Faith: Bishop Joseph Strickland, His Recent Intervention, and the Silence That Speaks Loudly

How Bishop Strickland’s courage exposes a crisis of integrity within the Church.

Background

Bishop Joseph Edward Strickland was born in 1958 in Fredericksburg, Texas and ordained a priest in 1985. In 2012 he became the fourth Bishop of Tyler. From the beginning his pastoral style was direct, heartfelt and rooted in an unembarrassed love for the Catholic faith. His episcopal motto, “Ut inhabitem in domo Domini” (that I may dwell in the house of the Lord) captured his desire to draw people into deeper intimacy with Christ.

During his years in Tyler he became known for defending the Eucharist, the sanctity of life, and the Church’s perennial teachings. He also supported the Traditional Latin Mass and the communities that grew around it. His fidelity won him both admiration and opposition. Those attached to the TLM recognised in him a shepherd who did not treat them as a problem to be managed but as souls to be cared for.

In November 2023 Bishop Strickland was removed from office after declining a request to resign. The official explanations told us very little. The deeper reasons were never made public. Yet many of the faithful understood that his unwavering defence of the faith, including his support for the TLM community in Tyler, had placed him in the crosshairs. His removal was a moment of profound disquiet for those who sensed an injustice had taken place.

The Intervention at the USCCB

At the recent plenary assembly of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Bishop Strickland made a rare intervention from the floor. He spoke up regarding a controversy involving Father James Martin and the wider question of fidelity to the Church’s teaching. It was a moment that cut through the atmosphere of procedural calm and reminded everyone present that the unity of the Church is founded first on the truth.