Catholic nuns banish Texas bishop and accuse him of spying in row over chastity

Catholic nuns in Texas have mutinied in opposition to their bishop and banned him from their monastery for “spiritual safety” within the newest salvo in a weird non secular feud.

They say they’ve been subjected to “aggression, humiliation and spiritual manipulation” on account of the “attitudes and ambitions” of Bishop Michael Olson.

It comes after Bishop Olson, the bishop of Fort Worth, claimed the pinnacle of the priory had damaged her vow of chastity with a priest from exterior the realm.

In an announcement this week, the Discalced Carmelite Nuns of Arlington denied the claims about their Mother Prioress.

The previous few months have seen a battle between the nuns and Bishop Olson inside and outdoors court docket, that includes claims of spying, threats of excommunication and an intervention from the Vatican.

Who are the Discalced Carmelite Nuns of Arlington?

The saga centres round a gaggle of nuns who reside on the priory of the Most Holy Trinity within the metropolis of Arlington, Texas.

They are a part of the order of Discalced Carmelites, a Catholic order established within the sixteenth century.

Under Catholic canon regulation, their neighborhood is taken into account to be autonomous and nuns surrender household in pursuit of deeper reference to God.

By newest depend there are considered round 11,500 Discalced Carmelite nuns unfold out the world over.

What began the feud with Bishop Michael Olson?

It dates again to April this 12 months when Bishop Olson, the diocese says, obtained a report that Reverend Mother Teresa Agnes Gerlach – the Mother Prioress – had violated her vow of chastity with a priest from exterior the realm.

“An ecclesiastical investigation into the report of the grave misconduct was initiated,” the diocese mentioned in an announcement in May.

In response to the claims, the Arlington nuns filed a million-dollar lawsuit in opposition to Bishop Olson and the Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth.

In court docket paperwork obtained by NBC5 – Sky News’s sister outlet – the nuns claimed Bishop Olson was overstepping his energy by disciplining them and taking private property from the monastery after they reply on to the Pope and never the native diocese.

The lawsuit alleged that the Bishop took property, specifically a pc, iPad, and cell phone, from Reverend Mother Teresa Agnes Gerlach, and that after she changed her confiscated telephone her texts have been monitored.

They accused the defendants of “spying” on the Sisters by accessing the telephone.

District Court Judge Don Cosby in the end dominated the civil court docket did not have the jurisdiction to rule over a canonical dispute.

What have the Discalced Carmelite Nuns of Arlington mentioned?

On 18 August, an announcement launched on behalf of Reverend Mother Teresa Agnes Gerlach and the chapter denied claims that had been made in opposition to them.

“In recent months our monastery in general and our Mother Prioress in particular have been subjected to unprecedented interference, intimidation, aggression, private and public humiliation and spiritual manipulation as the direct result of the attitudes and ambitions of the current Bishop of Fort Worth,” they mentioned.

It continued: “Our filial trust has been abused by the personal and public behaviours of a man who, in the pursuit of his unspecified personal ends, does not fear to shout at nuns or to humiliate them in private and in public when they protest that their rights have been ignored, who does not hesitate to violate their sacred enclosure through his officials, and whose actions in respect of personal property and privacy are more than seriously questionable.”

In respect of the “calumnies” (false statements) which have been printed, the nuns expressed “complete confidence in the personal and moral integrity of its Mother Prioress and in her leadership”.

The blistering assertion ended with the nuns saying that they now not recognise the authority of Bishop Olson and forbid him and his officers from setting foot on monastery property.

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What has Bishop Michael Olson mentioned?

In an announcement the next day, Bishop Olson mentioned the rejection of his authority “hurt me as a friend”.

He continued: “Thus, it is with deep sorrow that I must inform the faithful of the Diocese of Fort Worth, that Mother Teresa Agnes, thereby, may have incurred upon herself latae sententiae, excommunication.”

Bishop Olson warned that the opposite nuns “depending on their complicity in Mother Teresa Agnes’ publicly, scandalous and schismatic actions” might even have incurred excommunication.

“I stand ready to assist Mother Teresa Agnes on her path of reconciliation and healing,” he added.

Previously, the bishop mentioned that “baseless and false claims” have been made and precipitated “confusion”.

In a video message on YouTube he claimed that the Mother Prioress had “admitted” breaking her vow of chastity and mentioned any claims of “spying” on the sisters have been “ludicrous”.

An intervention from the Vatican?

The ongoing scandal has even reached the ears of senior Catholic figures within the Vatican.

At the tip of May, the Vatican appointed Bishop Olson because the Pope’s consultant and apparently gave him “full governing powers” over the priory.

Another senior Catholic, nevertheless, has spoken out in assist of the nuns.

In an announcement printed on the monastery’s web site, Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano praised the “courageous resistance” of the Texas nuns.

Archbishop Vigano, finest identified for publicising two main Vatican scandals, even seemed to be crucial of Pope Francis over the matter.

He added: “The Sisters of the Arlington Carmel have an example of heroic resistance against corrupt power in the martyrdom of the Carmelites of Compiegne, who knew how to face the guillotine in order not to submit to the constitutional oath of a revolutionary government.

“It won’t be prelates with out both dignity or religion who bend the daring resistance of souls in love with Christ.”