By THE U.S. CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS
Special to The Message
On Nov. 11, Pope Francis relieved the Most Rev. Joseph E. Strickland from the pastoral governance of the Diocese of Tyler, Texas. At the same time, the Holy Father appointed the Most Rev, Joe S. Vásquez, Bishop of Austin, Texas, as the Apostolic Administrator sede vacante of the Diocese of Tyler.
These provisions were publicized Nov. 11 in Washington, D.C., by Cardinal Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States.
The Diocese of Tyler comprises 23,443 square miles and has a total population of 1,436,247, of which 119,168 are Catholic.