A Catholic bishop in Texas has threatened to excommunicate a group of nuns after they banned him from their convent over his allegations that their Mother Superior had sex with a priest.
Fort Worth Bishop Michael Olson made his threat in a fiery statement Saturday, accusing the Discalced Carmelites of Arlington of “public, scandalous and schismatic actions.”
It came a day after the nuns posted a message long public statement banning Olson and his officials from their convent, the Convent of the Most Holy Trinity, and accusing the bishop of spreading “slanderous speech” against their prioress, Mother Superior Theresa Agnes Gerlach.
“No one who abuses us like the present Bishop of Fort Worth has any right to our cooperation or obedience,” the nuns said, explicitly stating that they no longer recognize Olson’s authority.
The extraordinary dispute dates back to April, when the nuns say Olson burst into their priory, interrogated the religious sisters and seized the phones and other devices they use to run the convent.
Bishop Olson, seen in court in June, has threatened to excommunicate nuns after they banned him from their convent over his allegations that their prioress had sex with a priest.
Mother Superior Teresa Agnes Gerlach (second from right) and her Carmelite nuns have sued the Bishop of Fort Worth for libel after he accused her of violating her vow of chastity
Since then, the nuns have filed a $1 million lawsuit against Olson, which was later dismissed, and the bishop has publicly accused the chronically ill Gerlach of cannabis abuse and “violating her vow of chastity” to a priest – something she adamantly denies.
The priest involved was identified last month as Father Philip G. Johnson of the Diocese of Raleigh, a Navy veteran and brain cancer survivor who first contacted Gerlach to request prayers from her nuns.
The Carmelites announced on their website that they would be in religious retreat until August 27, and were not immediately available for comment.
In their statement last week, the nuns accused Olson of “unprecedented interference, harassment, aggression, private and public humiliation and spiritual manipulation” and appeared to anticipate the threat of excommunication.
“We can undoubtedly expect a lot of opposing rhetoric, maybe even sanctions, but we are not breaking communion with anyone,” the nuns said.
“We are simply stating that the abuse we have been subjected to is so gravely unjust and unbearably destructive to the calling to which we have sworn before Almighty God that that abuse cannot be co-operated in conscience,” their statement added.
In his statement, Olson said Gerlach may have suffered damage late sententiaeor automatic, excommunication “by her own schismatic actions.”
“The other nuns, depending on their complicity in Mother Teresa Agnes’ public scandalous and schismatic actions, might have suffered the same thing.” late sententiae excommunication,” he wrote.
“The Arlington Carmel will remain closed to the public until the Arlington Carmel publicly denies these scandalous and schismatic actions of Mother Teresa Agnes,” Olson added.
Bishop Michael Olson of Fort Worth issued a fiery statement on Saturday, accusing the discalced Carmelite nuns of Arlington of “public, scandalous and schismatic actions.”
On June 1, Bishop Olson (above) expelled Gerlach from her order, the Discalced Carmelite nuns, a day after he was given special powers by the Vatican to continue his investigation.
Gerlach, 43, has serious chronic health problems that require her to use a wheelchair, feeding tube and receive round-the-clock care from a fellow nun
Bishop Olson’s claims centered on Gerlcah’s phone and email communications with Father Philip G. Johnson (above) of the Diocese of Raleigh, a Navy veteran and brain cancer survivor
The bitter controversy has already caught the attention of senior Vatican officials.
In June, the Vatican Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, which oversees religious orders, named Olson “Papal Commissioner” on the matter, granting him “full governing power” over the nuns.
But Archbishop Carlo Vigano, the former Apostolic Nuncio to the United States and longtime critic of Pope Francis, issued a report. rack last week he supported the nuns and angrily criticized church officials who supported Olson.
The repeated abuses of power by those who hold ecclesiastical authority over religious communities – especially communities of contemplative women – are part of a subversive scheme carried out by corrupt and heretical prelates, whose aim is to rob the Church of the graces that such devoted cause souls. to descend upon Her,” the statement read.
“I invite everyone to support the courageous resistance of the Carmelite nuns of Arlington with prayer and material assistance,” he added.
The developments follow months of wild controversy in the saga, in which Olson accused Gerlach of “sexting” with a priest, before expelling her from the Carmelite Order, which she joined shortly after graduating from high school 25 years ago. .
The controversy has bitterly divided Fort Worth’s Catholic community, and supporters of the Carmelite nuns have launched an action petition for the removal of Bishop Olson for abuse of power, in which more than 500 signatures were collected.
Gerlach, 43, has serious chronic health problems that sometimes require her to use a wheelchair. She also uses a feeding tube and receives 24-hour care from a fellow nun, her lawyer previously told DailyMail.com.
Olson has released in court a recording of his April 24 interview with Gerlach at the Convent of the Most Holy Trinity (above), the convent she led in Arlington
In an audio recording played in court, she appeared to have admitted to falling in love with a priest through long-distance communication, but she strongly denies breaking her vow of chastity under Church law.
The priest Johnson was only identified this week and Olson has said he refused to cooperate with the Fort Worth diocese’s investigation into the sexting claims.
On June 1, Olson expelled Gerlach from her order, the Discalced Carmelite Nuns, a day after being given special powers by the Vatican to continue his investigation.
At the time, Olson said he had found the nun “guilty of violating the sixth commandment of the Decalogue and her vow of chastity to a priest from outside the diocese of Fort Worth,” but did not name the priest.
In the Catholic Church, the sixth commandment reads ‘Thou shalt not commit adultery’ and prohibits sex outside marriage. Catholic priests and nuns are prohibited from marrying and taking vows of celibate chastity.
No direct evidence of the sexting has emerged in court, but the diocese has presented testimony and recordings documenting Gerlach’s admissions that she had fallen in love with a priest through long-distance communication.
The priest Johnson is currently assigned to the Diocese of Raleigh in North Carolina, which confirmed in a statement to DailyMail.com that his priestly powers will be limited while the matter is investigated.