ROME — Pope Francis on Saturday ordered the removal of the bishop of Tyler, Texas, a conservative prelate active on social media who has been a fierce critic of the pontiff and has come to symbolize the polarization within the U.S. Catholic hierarchy. A one-line statement from the Vatican said Francis had “relieved” Bishop Joseph Strickland of the pastoral governance …
Bishop Robert McElroy of San Diego, one of Pope Francis’ ideological allies who has often sparred with more conservative U.S. bishops, was named by the pope on Sunday as one of 21 new cardinals. The San Diego diocese said McElroy will be installed by Pope Francis on August 27 at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Los Angeles Archbishop José Gomez, …