(LifeSiteNews) — Bishop Joseph Strickland, in a lengthy X post Friday, asked Pope Leo XIV and all of the bishops how much longer they’ll continue to serve two masters and “scandalize the little ones” by turning a blind eye to sin.
In his November 14 post, the bishop emeritus of Tyler, Texas, questioned how long the bishops, the Vatican curia, and the Holy Father will continue to scandalize the faithful by their complacency in the celebration of irreverent and sacrilegious liturgies, welcoming same-sex “couples” into the Church without calling them to conversion, emphasizing welcoming migrants without addressing the effects of illegal immigration on native populations, and ultimately “halt between two masters.” (1 Kings 18:21) The bishop underscored that there are millstones ready to be distributed to Pope Leo a “truckload” for the Roman curia, and a “cargo load” for the vast majority of the world’s bishops who frequently scandalize the “little ones.” (Matthew 18:6)
“How long will you halt between two masters? If you believe Christ is Lord, then follow Him! If the world is your master, then go to it! But no longer profane His sanctuary while you betray the Cross!” the bishop wrote.
“Bishops, STOP with the games! STOP with the lies. STOP turning a blind eye to the little ones! A massive stockpile of millstones is ready to be distributed among you,” he added. “One for Pope Leo, a truck load for the Curia in the Vatican, and cargo ships full for the vast majority of today’s successors of the Apostles.”
Dear Faithful Catholics-
These words came to me after awakening this morning. They are words I should have said to break the silence after my intervention at the USCCB meeting. I say them now to Pope Leo, to the bishops and to all who claim to be disciples of Jesus Christ.
“How… pic.twitter.com/5zyW2g9YrR
— Bishop Joseph Strickland @ Pillars of Faith (@BishStrick) November 14, 2025
Turning a blind eye to heretical Masses
His Excellency noted that while some may object to his “judging” these princes of the Church, it is these successors of the Apostles who have repeatedly inflicted harm on the little ones.
“No brothers, HOW DARE YOU inflict harm on the little ones over and over again??” the bishop wrote.
Delving into specific ways the bishops, including the bishop of Rome, have scandalized the faithful, Strickland noted that they mock the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass by turning it into little more than a “bauble” and often use these sacred liturgies to promote heresy.
“(Y)ou make the Sacred Sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the Holy Mass, a bauble, a bargaining chip for your worldly conniving, a platform for spewing heresy and playing footsie with the world,” he wrote.
Indeed, in addition to the average irreverent parish Masses, several pro-LGBT “pride” Masses and other heterodox Masses are celebrated throughout the U.S. and across the globe frequently, often without a rebuke from the celebrant’s bishop and complete silence from Rome.
READ: Homosexual priest who celebrated New York ‘pride’ Mass is member of heretical priest association
Welcoming unrepentant ‘married’ homosexuals into the Church
Strickland highlighted how priests and bishops frequently scandalize the faithful by welcoming homosexual “couples” into the Church, and Pope Leo grants them an audience without calling them to repentance for their disordered lives.
“You harm the little ones when you welcome couples caught up in sin, flaunting their sad disordered lives, and instead of calling them to repentance in Jesus Christ you have a chat about silly things and are acclaimed for being so kind,” he said. “You even welcome them into the sacred sanctuary and drape a veil of blessing over the dung of their sin.”
Within the last week, the notoriously pro-LGBT Jesuit Father James Martin celebrated a confirmation Mass for the openly homosexual ABC News correspondent Gio Benitez, who is “married” to another man. Benitez even credited Martin for his return to the Church, noting that the dissident priest had welcomed him into the Church “exactly as I am.” His partner, Tommy DiDario, whom he referred to as his husband, served as his sponsor.
READ: Fr. James Martin celebrates Confirmation Mass for homosexual ABC News anchor
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, marriage is defined as “The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life, is by its nature ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring; this covenant between baptized persons has been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament.”
The Catholic Church also condemns homosexual activity, declares homosexual inclinations “objectively disordered,” and calls homosexuals to chastity and conversion.
During this week’s USCCB Fall assembly, Strickland questioned the Confirmation of the openly gay news anchor.
“I don’t know how many of us have seen on social media,” His Excellency began during the question period. “Priests and others gathered, celebrating the Confirmation of a man living with a man openly. And it just needs to be addressed.”
The USCCB refused to respond to Strickland’s concerns. Instead, session chair Bishop Daniel E. Flores acknowledged his question, saying, “Thank you, Bishop.”
Flores then promptly moved on to the next agenda item without engaging the substance of the intervention or inviting further discussion from the panel or other bishops.
.@BishStrick CALLS OUT @JamesMartinSJ Scandal — And Is Met With DEAFENING SILENCE at the @USCCB pic.twitter.com/QJP2a8PSBU
— Sign of the Cross (@CatholicSOTC) November 13, 2025
Pope Leo also held a private audience with Alex Capecelatro, CEO of Josh.ai, and his homosexual “husband” Brian D. Stevens, a philanthropist who is a member of the Knights of Malta despite his scandalous lifestyle at the Vatican this week.
During the audience, the same-sex “couple” shared with the Pope how much Fr. Martin’s pro-LGBT activism “means to them,” to which Leo reportedly “nodded approvingly at the mention of that (so-called) ministry,” according to Letters from Leo, a website authored by a Democratic Party operative, Christopher Hale.
Hale further stressed that Leo did not clarify Church teaching during the audience but appeared to accept the two homosexuals as is.
Welcoming illegal aliens with open arms
Finally, Strickland noted that the bishops have urged the faithful to welcome “migrants” and staunchly oppose the enforcement of immigration law, but most will not speak about the hordes of criminals who cross the border illegally.
“You harm the little ones when you promote lawlessness and turn a blind eye to the rapes, the murders and the attacks of nefarious criminals who waltz across open borders,” he said. “Some of the little ones are caught up in these mass migrations and trampled upon as they seek a better life. Some of the little ones find their homes and towns invaded as shepherds say ‘we must welcome the stranger,’ and then allow marauders and criminals free rein.”
Since Trump returned to the White House in January, the U.S. bishops, Pope Francis, and then Pope Leo have repeatedly denounced his administration’s attempts to curb mass immigration. Pope Leo has repeatedly said that the faithful will be judged for how they “receive the foreigner,” and even falsely suggested that supporting the purported “inhuman treatment of immigrants in the United States” under Trump is the same as supporting abortion.
READ: Pope Leo clearly opposes Trump’s immigration policies. Here’s what he fails to understand
As Strickland noted, the vast majority of Catholic prelates, while correctly stating that countries have an obligation to treat all migrants with human dignity, have largely failed to mention the issue of the heinous crimes committed by MS-13 gang members and others entering the United States illegally, and how they are violating the human dignity of its citizens.
Other bishops have also been critical of the open border policies of the majority of Western nations.
In 2018, Bishop Athanasius Schneider told an interviewer from Milan’s Il Giornale that “the phenomenon of so-called ‘immigration’ represents an orchestrated and long-prepared plan by international powers to radically change the Christian and national identities of the European peoples.”
