Texan Bishop, Joseph Strickland, a fierce critic of Pope Francis leadership of the Catholic church has been fired by the Vatican.
According to the Vatican, the bishop would be "relieved" of his duties due to investigations at his Diocese of Tyler.
Bishop Strickland, a leading voice in a branch of US Catholicism that is opposed to the Pope's reforms had his removal coming after Francis spoke of the "backwardness" of some US Catholic church leaders.
He had launched a series of attacks on the Pope's attempts to update the Church's position on social matters and inclusion, including on abortion, transgender rights and same-sex marriage.
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Strickland in July warned that many "basic truths" of Catholic teaching were being challenged, including what he called attempts to "undermine" marriage "as instituted by God" being only between a man and a woman.
He also criticised as "disordered" the attempts of those who "reject their undeniable biological God-given identity".
Strickland's letter infers that attempts to change "that which cannot be changed" would lead to an irrevocable schism in the Church. Those seeking change, he warned, "are the true schismatics".
Strickland while being under investigation by the Vatican had previously declined the opportunity to resign, writing an open letter in September challenging the Pope to fire him.
"I cannot resign as Bishop of Tyler because that would be me abandoning the flock," he said.
The Vatican said that the decision to fire him "came after an apostolic visitation ordered by the Pope last June in the Diocese of Tyler". According to Catholic media, the investigation also looked at the handling of financial affairs at the diocese.
65-year old Strickland was appointed bishop in 2012, while Benedict XVI was pope.
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