Bishop Strickland leads Catholics in rosary rally outside US bishops’ conference in Baltimore

“I figured since I’m in town and didn’t have to go to the meeting, I’d just come here and pray,” Strickland explained in a brief interview with Catholic News Agency.

Strickland told the outlet that Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the papal nuncio to the US, had requested for him to not attend. Pierre denied a requested interview with CNA on Tuesday.

“Today is a day for living the Lord more fully. And so that’s what we are called to do. And that’s what I would encourage the bishops to just keep refocusing on. I have to, every day when I wake up, remember, what’s this about? It’s about following Jesus Christ,” Strickland told CNA.

“And today is a new day to follow him with joy and hope. His light is as bright as ever. We need to all remember that, and especially my brother bishops.”

He added that while he might take part in future USCCB gatherings, he decided it was best to not do so this year as he “didn’t want to be a distraction.”

This prayer comes after Strickland, who notably has a strict pro-life stance and strongly favors traditional marriage, was removed from his duties as a bishop on Saturday, Nov. 11 by Pope Francis. Strickland had recently criticized the Pope about a month-long Synod during which a vote was held on whether to allow women to have a bigger role in the decision-making of the Church.

Strickland had said it was a "travesty" for the Church to be considering such things.

“Regrettably, it may be that some will label as schismatics those who disagree with the changes being proposed,” Strickland wrote in a letter pertaining to the matter. “Instead, those who would propose changes to that which cannot be changed seek to commandeer Christ’s Church, and they are indeed the true schismatics.”

Strickland defended his record as a bishop to CNA, telling the outlet, “if you just look at the record of the diocese, it’s grown. People are moving in. It’s a happy place. It’s not perfect. It’s not heaven, but it’s in good shape.”

He also told reporters that Pierre gave extensive “verbal reasons” for his removal, with one being that he is too outspoken.

Strickland notably suggested that Pope Francis was “undermining the deposit of faith” in a post he made on X in May.