Pope Fires Bishop

On Wednesday October 24, the Vatican announced that Pope Francis had formerly removed the 63-year-old Catholic Bishop, Martin Holley, from the pastoral government of the Diocese of Memphis.

The official announcement from the Vatican as reported by Zenit.org states, “The Holy Father Francis has removed from the pastoral care of the diocese of Memphis, United States of America, H.E. Msgr. Martin D. Holley, and has appointed as apostolic administrator.”

The Vatican further announced that now to step in as the apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Memphis is Archbishop, Joseph Edward Kurtz of Louisville.To this date, no formal statement has yet been released detailing what led to the Pope’s decision in removing the former Bishop.