Monday, June 26, 2023

Bishop Strickland Visited by Vatican

Understanding Apostolic Visitation: The Case of Bishop Joseph Strickland

Introduction

In June 2023, Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas, found himself at the center of a Vatican-directed investigation—an **apostolic visitation**. This process, shrouded in secrecy, has raised questions and speculation within the Catholic community. Let's delve into what apostolic visitations entail and explore the context surrounding Bishop Strickland's case.

What Is an Apostolic Visitation?

An apostolic visitation occurs when one or more representatives, usually bishops or canon lawyers, travel to a diocese, religious congregation, or ceremony on behalf of the Vatican. Their mission is to investigate specific issues within the institution. The decision to initiate such a visitation signals serious concerns within the diocese or religious community. In Bishop Strickland's case, this intervention was ordered by the Vatican's Dicastery for Bishops.

The Allegations Against Bishop Strickland

The specific reasons for Bishop Strickland's apostolic visitation have not been officially confirmed. However, rumors suggest that it relates to both governance issues within his diocese and his outspoken views on Church matters. Notably, Bishop Strickland has been a vocal critic of certain aspects of Pope Francis' leadership.

Social Media Use and Controversy

Bishop Strickland's social media presence has drawn both praise and criticism. Supporters appreciate his clarity on Church teaching, while critics argue that some of his statements are irresponsible. One tweet in particular—where he suggested that Pope Francis was "undermining the Deposit of Faith"—raised eyebrows. The Vatican reportedly addressed his social media use during the visitation.

Diocesan Management

Apart from social media, questions related to diocesan management were also part of the investigation. The apostolic visitors interviewed clergy and laity within the Tyler diocese to assess its governance.

Context: The Los Angeles Protest

Before news of the apostolic visitation emerged, Bishop Strickland participated in a eucharistic procession and prayer rally in Los Angeles. The event aimed to protest Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers for honoring an anti-Catholic drag group during their annual Pride Night game.

Conclusion

While Bishop Strickland has not made formal statements following the visitation, he continues to engage with supporters on social media. The investigation remains confidential, but its impact reverberates through discussions about Church leadership and transparency.


What do you think? Post your comment below on Disqus.  Be sure to follow the rules so your comment can go through.  

---


References:

1. [Catholic News Agency](https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/254673/on-heels-of-apostolic-visitation-bishop-strickland-keeps-up-presence-on-social-media)

2. [LifeSiteNews](https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/report-americas-bishop-joseph-strickland-gets

No comments:

Post a Comment

Thank you for reading and for your comment. All comments are subject to approval. They must be free of vulgarity, ad hominem and must be relevant to the blog posting subject matter.

Labels

Catholic Church (865) God (418) Jesus (378) Atheism (346) Bible (340) Jesus Christ (299) Pope Francis (243) Atheist (230) Liturgy of the Word (212) Science (166) LGBT (147) Christianity (146) Abortion (82) Gay (82) Pope Benedict XVI (81) Rosa Rubicondior (79) Prayer (68) Liturgy (59) President Obama (57) Philosophy (56) Blessed Virgin Mary (55) Physics (55) Vatican (53) Christian (51) New York City (45) Psychology (44) Christmas (43) Holy Eucharist (41) Women (36) Biology (35) Politics (34) Baseball (33) Supreme Court (31) NYPD (28) Religious Freedom (27) Health (25) Traditionalists (25) Pope John Paul II (24) priests (24) Racism (23) Space (23) Theology (23) Death (22) Donald Trump (22) Apologetics (20) Evil (20) First Amendment (20) Illegal Immigrants (19) Pro Abortion (19) Protestant (19) Astrophysics (18) Christ (18) Evangelization (18) Child Abuse (17) Priesthood (17) Pro Choice (17) Police (16) Marriage (15) Pedophilia (15) Vatican II (15) Eucharist (14) Divine Mercy (13) Gospel (13) Morality (12) Blog (11) Jewish (11) September 11 (11) Autism (10) Muslims (10) Poverty (10) Cognitive Psychology (9) Easter Sunday (9) Gender Theory (9) Holy Trinity (9) academia (9) CUNY (8) Hispanics (8) Human Rights (8) Pentecostals (8) Personhood (8) Sacraments (8) Barack Obama (7) Big Bang Theory (7) Condoms (7) David Viviano (7) Ellif_dwulfe (7) Evidence (7) NY Yankees (7) Spiritual Life (7) Hell (6) Humanism (6) Babies (5) Cyber Bullying (5) Gender Dysphoria Disorder (5) Massimo Pigliucci (5) Podcast (5) Pope Pius XII (5) The Walking Dead (5) Angels (4) Donations (4) Ephebophilia (4) Pope John XXIII (4) Pope Paul VI (4) Catholic Bloggers (3) Death penalty (3) Encyclical (3) Evangelicals (3) Founding Fathers (3) Plenary Indulgence (3) Pluto (3) Baby Jesus (2) Dan Arel (2) Eastern Orthodox (2) Freeatheism (2) Oxfam (2) Penn Jillette (2) Pew Research Center (2) Cursillo (1) Dan Savage (1) Divine Providence (1) Fear The Walking Dead (1) Pentecostales (1)