Texas Bishop Gracida dies at 102 – considered Francis an antipope, Benedict’s resignation invalid
Bishop René Henri Gracida, a longtime Catholic prelate and vocal critic of Pope Francis, died at the age of 102. He was known for his strong support of the Traditional Latin Mass and his belief that Pope Benedict XVI's resignation was invalid, considering Pope Francis an antipope. Gracida served as bishop of the Diocese of Corpus Christi from 1983 to 1997 and previously held roles in Miami and as a Benedictine monk.
- ▪Bishop René Henri Gracida died at the age of 102, making him one of the oldest Catholic prelates in the world at the time of his death.
- ▪He was born on June 9, 1923, in New Orleans, Louisiana, and served as a fighter pilot during World War II before entering the priesthood.
- ▪Gracida was ordained a priest in 1959, became an auxiliary bishop of Miami in 1971, and served as bishop of Corpus Christi from 1983 to 1997.
- ▪He was a staunch supporter of the Traditional Latin Mass and publicly rejected the legitimacy of Pope Francis, claiming Benedict XVI's resignation was invalid.
- ▪Gracida appeared in multiple LifeSiteNews articles and gave an interview in 2024 reiterating his traditionalist views and criticisms of the current papacy.
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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 2 LifeSiteNews staff Comments 2 Fri May 1, 2026 - 1:20 pm EDTFri May 1, 2026 - 2:04 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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