Vásquez was most recently selected by Francis to oversee the Diocese of Tyler, also in Texas, after he dismissed its former bishop, Joseph Strickland, who had openly accused the pope of being a heretic and called into question the validity of his leadership.

Pope Francis criticised Donald Trump's plans regarding the deportation of immigrants from the USA, calling them a "disgrace." He also emphasized that the solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a two-state formula.

Pope Francis on Monday offered well-wishes to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump in a traditional message sent ahead of the presidential inauguration ceremony in Washington. The pontiff, who has previously expressed sharp disagreement with Trump's anti-immigrant rhetoric,

Pope Francis criticized Donald Trump's plans for the deportation of immigrants from the United States, calling them a "disgrace." He also emphasized that the solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict lies in a two-state formula.

Pope Francis said Donald Trump’s plans to impose mass deportations of immigrants would be a “disgrace,” as he weighed in on the incoming U.S. president’s pledges nearly a decade after calling him “not Christian” for wanting to build a wall along the U.

President Donald Trump has vowed to begin mass deportations of immigrants, with major policy changes anticipated through executive orders he is to sign within hours of being inaugurated. Pope Francis weighed in on the issue on Sunday evening,