On John-Henry Westen and the Defense of Truth

In recent days, there has been a great deal of speculation surrounding the departure of John-Henry Westen from his leadership role at LifeSiteNews. Some have suggested—or outright claimed—that he was removed because he spoke the truth about Pope Leo XIV or about the troubling trends within the Church.

Let me state this clearly: that is not true.

This kind of narrative—however well-meaning some may be in spreading it—is not only misleading, it is harmful.

John-Henry Westen has been, and remains, a courageous and faithful witness to the truth of Jesus Christ and the teachings of His Church. He has never shied away from proclaiming the hard truths—about abortion, about doctrinal confusion, about the crisis in the Church. And I know from personal experience: when I was removed from my diocese, John-Henry and the LifeSiteNews team were the first to reach out to me, to listen, to share my story, and to stand with me when many others remained silent.

For that, I will always be deeply grateful.

The internal decisions of LifeSiteNews are not mine to explain. But I can affirm this with confidence: John-Henry Westen was not removed for speaking the truth. Any assertion to the contrary is a distortion, and it dishonors the work he has done and the truth he has defended so boldly for decades.

We live in a time when many voices are silenced—not by honest disagreement, but by manipulation and fear. We must resist the temptation to turn every change into a symbol of betrayal. John-Henry remains my brother in Christ, a man I respect and admire, and a voice we still need in this battle for the soul of the Church.

Let us not be divided by speculation. Let us instead be united in our commitment to Christ, to His Bride the Church, and to the eternal truths that do not change.

+Joseph E. Strickland
Bishop Emeritus of Tyler