A Texas judge has dismissed a Catholic nun’s $1 million defamation suit against the bishop, who accused her of sexting with a priest.
Mother Superior Teresa Agnes Gerlach and the Discalced Carmelite Sisters filed a lawsuit against Fort Worth Bishop Michael Olson, who expelled her from the religious order after accusing her of breaking her vow of chastity with a priest.
The priest was identified this week as Father Philip G. Johnson of the Diocese of Raleigh, a Navy veteran and brain cancer survivor who first contacted Gerlach for prayers from her nuns.
In a ruling Friday, Judge Don Cosby of Tarrant County’s 67th District Court said the nuns’ lawsuit was dismissed for lack of jurisdiction on the subject after the bishop argued the acrimonious dispute was purely a religious issue.
Within hours of the ruling, the Arlington Police Department told DailyMail.com it had also closed its criminal investigation into claims related to the civil case, having determined no charges had been founded.
Mother Superior Teresa Agnes Gerlach (second from right) and her Carmelite nuns have sued the Bishop of Fort Worth for defamation after he accused her of violating her vow of chastity
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
In a statement to DailyMail.com, Gerlach’s attorney, Matthew Bobo, denounced Cosby’s ruling and vowed to appeal.
“We are shocked, extremely disappointed and respectfully disagree with Judge Cosby’s decision,” said Bobo, who represents Gerlach and the other Carmelites at the Most Holy Trinity Convent in Arlington.
Bobo argued that the court’s ruling indicated that “a Catholic bishop may publicly insult a Catholic several times in front of the media, and that Catholic priests may freely disclose the alleged sins of Catholics to all the world without any repercussions, nor from the Vatican, nor of the civil justice system. .’
An Olson spokesperson did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com on Saturday, but the bishop told Catholic Outlet The Pillar in a statement that he was “grateful” for the court ruling.
“The decision confirms our firm belief that this is a private church matter that has no place in the courts,” Olson said. “This case will proceed through an established canonical process.”
In their lawsuit against Olson and the diocese, the nuns alleged that the bishop stormed into their convent in April, confiscated phones and questioned nuns as he continued his investigation into
Meanwhile, police in Arlington said their criminal investigation into the events at the monastery “is now considered closed.”
Police in the Texas city had opened the investigation following a complaint filed by the nuns’ attorney and a mutual complaint from Olson about marijuana use at the convent.
Bishop Olson, who was seen entering court this week, said he was “grateful” for a judge’s ruling that dismissed the lawsuit against him, calling the dispute a “private church matter”
Gerlach, 43, has serious chronic health problems that require her to use a wheelchair, use a feeding tube and receive 24-hour care from a fellow nun
Johnson is currently assigned to the Diocese of Raleigh in North Carolina, which confirmed in a statement that his priestly powers will be limited while the matter is under investigation.
“The Arlington Police Department has completed its investigation into allegations related to the Monastery of the Most Holy Trinity here in our city,” police told DailyMail.com.
“The purpose of this investigation was to gather information and determine whether any criminal offenses had been committed in connection with the ongoing civil case between the Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth and the Discalced Carmelite nuns living at the convent.
“After a thorough and comprehensive review by APD detectives and in consultation with the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office, we have determined that there are likely no grounds for bringing criminal charges against any of the individuals involved. The case is now considered closed,” the statement said.
The developments follow months of wild controversy in the saga, in which Olson accused Gerlach of “sexting” with a priest, before banning her from the Carmelite Order, which she joined shortly after graduating from high school 25 years ago.
The controversy has bitterly divided the Catholic community in Fort Worth, and Carmelite supporters have one petition for the removal of Bishop Olson for abuse of power, with more than 500 signatures.
Gerlach, 43, has serious chronic health problems that require her to use a wheelchair, use a feeding tube and receive round-the-clock care from a fellow nun, her lawyer previously told DailyMail.com.
On June 1, Bishop Olson (above) expelled Gerlach from her order, the Discalced Carmelites, a day after she was given special powers by the Vatican to continue his investigations
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 ran in Arlington
In an audio recording played in court this week, she appeared to admit she had fallen in love with a priest through long-distance communication, but firmly 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 Carmelites, a day after she was 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 with 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 not allowed to marry and take vows of celibate chastity.
No direct evidence of the sexting has emerged in court, but the diocese has previously 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.
He did not respond to multiple interview requests from DailyMail.com this week.