Bishop Joseph Strickland, one of Pope Francis' biggest critics in the U.S. Roman Catholic church, is sticking to his traditional principles after his abrupt firing Saturday by Pope Francis.
The now former Bishop of Tyler, Texas says he is steadfast in saying he would not change a thing.
"I'd do it the same way again," Strickland told LifeSiteNews in an exclusive interview Saturday. "I feel very much at peace in the Lord and the truth that he died for."
It is very rare for a Catholic bishop to be relieved of his duties.
In past cases bishops in trouble with the Vatican have been asked to resign before submitting a resignation, which typically the pope accepts.
Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston said in a statement that Strickland was asked to resign on Nov. 9 but refused.
Strickland has been at odds with Francis’ far-left changes and pronouncements, some of which directly contradict the ancient faith’s core Christian beliefs.
Recently Francis has suggested priests can bless same-sex unions, even though the church has long held that any sexual relations outside of marriage is sinful.
And this week the Vatican indicated transgender individuals could be baptized and serve as godparents.
In his LifeSiteNews interview Strickland said he was targeted because he failed to implement a directive by Francis to not allow regular services using the Latin Mass, a traditional form favored by some conservatives.
"I stand by all the things that were listed as complaints against me," Strickland said. "I know I didn't implement Traditionis Custodes [the Pope Francis decree effectively banning the Latin Mass] because I can't starve out part of my flock."
Strickland, a prolific user of social media who was named to the diocese by the late Pope Benedict in 2012, tweeted earlier this year he rejected Pope Francis' "program undermining the Deposit of Faith."
Strickland had become one of the most vocal standard bearers of U.S. Church conservatives and has a national following far beyond the small diocese of Tyler located in eastern Texas.
Strickland has strongly criticized President Biden and the Democratic party for their push for abortion rights, making him a hero for traditional U.S. Catholic media outlets.
Last year, when the Vatican defrocked the leading U.S. pro-life priest, Father Frank Pavone, for "blasphemous" social media posts and disobedience to bishops, Strickland was one of the few U.S. bishops to defend him publicly.
"The blasphemy is that this holy priest is canceled while an evil president promotes the denial of truth and the murder of the unborn at every turn, Vatican officials promote immorality and denial of the deposit of faith and priests promote gender confusion devastating lives... evil," Strickland wrote on the platform then known as Twitter.
From the start of his papacy Francis has claimed he is open to both dissent and dialogue within the Church, but has moved aggressively against Cardinals, bishops and priests who have challenged his far-left statements and changes to Catholic teachings.
Cardinal Gerhard Muller, former head of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, has openly criticized Francis’ doctrinal claims and noted that he has “has already uttered plenty of material heresies.”
Material from Reuters was used in this report.