Originally published at National Catholic Register
Dallas Bishop Edward Burns said on Friday that the Pope ‘has chosen a loyal and committed bishop to serve in the Diocese of Tyler,’ though he said that ‘our beloved brother will be missed here in the Diocese of Dallas.’
Pope Francis has appointed a new bishop to lead the Diocese of Tyler, Texas, more than a year after the Holy See removed its Bishop Joseph Strickland amid questions over management of the diocese.
Dallas Auxiliary Bishop J. Gregory Kelly will lead the Tyler Diocese, apostolic nuncio Cardinal Christophe Pierre said on Friday.
He will take over diocesan leadership from Austin Bishop Joe Vásquez, who has served as apostolic administrator in Tyler since last year.
Pope Francis relieved Bishop Strickland from the Tyler bishopric last November after an apostolic visitation concluded it was “not feasible” for Bishop Strickland to remain in that position. Bishop Strickland had days earlier refused to submit his resignation voluntarily.
Bishop Strickland, 65, had served as bishop of Tyler since 2012. The widely popular though polarizing Texas bishop had faced criticism for his firebrand social media posts, including a tweet last year that suggested Pope Francis was “undermining the deposit of faith.”
‘I am grateful
