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The Catholic Church faces a crossroads as Pope Leo XIV takes leadership. Conservative voices demand a return to traditional values after years of perceived liberal drift under Pope Francis.
Glenn Beck’s interview with LifeSiteNews CEO John-Henry Westin spotlights Bishop Joseph Strickland’s controversial removal as a litmus test for the new papacy. Westin argues Strickland was ousted for defending orthodoxy against “woke” compromises—and Leo XIV must reverse this “political purge” to prove his commitment to true Catholic teaching.
Pope Francis sidelined Strickland in 2023 after the Texas bishop openly criticized Vatican policies on homosexuality, abortion, and communion for pro-abortion politicians. Then-Cardinal Prevost reportedly helped engineer Strickland’s removal, raising concerns among faithful conservatives.
Westin insists Strickland’s reinstatement would signal a decisive break from Francis’s legacy. “The global faithful are watching,” he declares. “Restoring this bold defender of life and family isn’t optional—it’s mandatory for healing the Church’s divisions.”
While Leo XIV has echoed Francis’s calls for “bridge-building,” conservatives warn against empty platitudes. They demand concrete action: defunding leftist NGOs, ending secular “synodal” experiments, and reaffirming doctrines on marriage and gender.
Some traditionalists remain cautiously optimistic. Westin notes Leo XIV’s past administrative work under Benedict XVI, a doctrinal stalwart, as reason to hope. “This pope knows where the rot is,” he says. “Now he must have the courage to cut it out.”
Critics fear a repeat of Francis’s “destructive” inclusivity, citing Leo’s early speeches about “welcoming all.” But grassroots Catholics pray he’ll emulate saints like Pius X—crushing modernism and shepherding the Church back to timeless truths.
America’s first pope now faces his first trial: choosing between Benedict’s faithfulness or Francis’s failure. For millions of believers, Strickland’s fate isn’t just about one bishop—it’s about whether Catholicism survives the 21st century.
