Bishop Gracida, critic of Pope Francis and staunch supporter of Latin Mass, dies at 102
Bishop René Henri Gracida, a longtime critic of Pope Francis and ardent supporter of the Traditional Latin Mass, has died at the age of 102. Born in New Orleans and ordained in 1959, he served as bishop of the Diocese of Corpus Christi from 1983 to 1997 and was among the oldest prelates in the world. Gracida, who once questioned the validity of Pope Francis's papacy, remained a prominent figure in traditionalist Catholic circles until his death.
- ▪Bishop René Henri Gracida died at the age of 102, having been one of the oldest Catholic prelates in the world.
- ▪He served as the bishop of the Diocese of Corpus Christi from 1983 to 1997 after holding earlier positions in Miami.
- ▪Gracida was a vocal critic of Pope Francis and expressed doubts about his legitimacy as pontiff.
- ▪He was a strong advocate for the Traditional Latin Mass and consistently opposed modern changes in the Catholic Church.
- ▪Gracida was ordained a priest in 1959 after briefly being a Benedictine monk and served as a fighter pilot during World War II.
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News Bishop Gracida, critic of Pope Francis and staunch supporter of Latin Mass, dies at 102 Gracida has been featured in numerous LifeSiteNews articles over the years, and previously joined John-Henry Westen for a special interview in 2024. Bishop René Henry Gracida being interviewed by LifeSiteNews in 2024LifeSiteNews LifeSiteNewsstaff 0 LifeSiteNews staff Comments 0 Fri May 1, 2026 - 1:20 pm EDT (LifeSiteNews) — Bishop René Henri Gracida, who was one of the oldest prelates in the world, a staunch proponent of the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM), and critic of Pope Francis who claimed that he was not the valid pontiff, has died at age 102.
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