The Congregation for Clergy upheld his resignation in July, and Kirkham is currently awaiting the results of his final appeal. While affirming your respect for me as a person, you affirmed that that was your position. Strickland, the bishop of Tyler, Texas, didn't just link to the scurrilous video, he endorsed it, writing: "A sad commentary on the Church and state in our time. There are many groups across the Ft. Worth Diocese who are praying a daily Rosary. monetization of National Catholic Register RSS feeds is strictly prohibited. Bishop Olson's Biography Bishop Olson's Video Series Bishop Olson's Blog Contact Information The diocese, meanwhile, told the Star-Telegram it has alerted police of serious concerns of marijuana and edibles inside the Arlington monastery of Carmelite nuns. In 1988, Bishop Olson officially transferred as a seminarian to the Diocese of Fort Worth. The congregation started work on the monastery in 2020, dubbing it the Montana Rosa Mystica and asking people to send donations for its construction to Most Holy Rosary House in Jordan, Montana, according to the website. Bishop Olson also has degrees (M.Div. He was ordained a priest for the Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth on June 3, 1994. or school. A Carmelite nun who accused the Diocese of Fort Worth and Bishop Michael Olson of violating both civil law and canon law is now appealing to the Vatican after the bishop refused to let her choose her own canon lawyer for representation . The Diocese of Fort Worth was established in 1969 by Pope Paul VI and currently is home to an estimated 1,200,000 Catholics. Was it more than one time?. He was a member of the formation faculty at Saint Marys Seminary in Houston, Texas and lectured at the University of Saint Thomas School of Theology between 2001 and 2006. "Defendant Michael Olson is the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth and he and his agents are abusing their power, inflicting moral violence and psychological distress on the. Renew or manage your subscription here. If you wish to communicate with Bishop Olson, please do so by phone, email, or by sending a hand written or typed letter to the address below. Also in the letter, Kirkham threatened to tell the priest's bishop if the affair continued. Sign up for 6 Free IssuesTry us out with a free trial subscription. Fetzer). Please review the following information about signing a mandate which gives Philip Gray the authority to represent you in the removal of Bishop Michael Olson from the Ft. Worth Diocese. The diocese, meanwhile, told the Star-Telegram it has alerted police of serious concerns of marijuana and edibles inside the Arlington monastery of Carmelite nuns. Bishop Michael Olson of the Diocese of Fort Worth in a statement shared on YouTube denied that he abused his authority when investigating . [4] The liturgy was celebrated in the Fort Worth Convention Center . This creates an emotional toll on their lives., Bobo described Olsons conduct as mean and vindictive., There has never been a situation of where a bishop has done something like this, he said. This story was originally published June 27, 2023, 11:19 AM. Kirkham did not respond to CNA's attempts to contact him for comment. "The allegation of an inappropriate relationship between two adults was looked into and denied by both parties," Annette Gonzales Taylor, Director of Communications for the Diocese of Dallas, said in a statement to CNA this week. He was raised in Des Plaines, Illinois. Bishop Michael Olson of Fort Worth, Texas, delivers remarks at St. Sophia Ukrainian Catholic Church in The Colony, Texas, March 6, 2022, during a prayer service for peace in Ukraine. "As regards their juridical condition, our monasteries, preserving spiritual unity with the entire order [Carmelite religious] have no other major superior above the Prioress, except for the Holy See," according to the rules and constitutions of the Carmelite order, the release stated. A confusion that I would like to clarify for you at this time.. The devices have since been returned. People need Hope (Hope is the salt and flavor of Faith). Pastoral letters and press releases from Bishop Olson are located under Communications / Media. During the hearing, Michael Anderson, an attorney representing the diocese, played an audio recording of the interview between Olson, Gerlach and Sister Francis Therese. They were ordered to do so.. Amen. 800 West Loop 820 South, Fort Worth, TX 76108 It is a suffragan diocese of the metropolitan Archdiocese of San Antonio . The restrictions also prevent lay participation in the Mass. SUGGESTED: Woman charged after being on Bush Intercontinental Airport runway, caused brief shut down. The hearing was held to determine whether a secular court has jurisdiction to allow the lawsuit to go forward. Father Kirkham claimed in the letter that while the two priests had been having drinks at a restaurant, the priest had related to Father Kirkham graphic details about his alleged sexual encounters with the woman. The bishop said she made the admission in front of him, Sister Francis Therese, Chancellor and Moderator of the Curia Msgr. Jonah McKeown is a staff writer and podcast producer for Catholic News Agency. Pray for our bishop and his staff, pray for our priests and deacons, pray for the laity, and pray for healing. Amen. When you subscribe to the CNA UPDATE, we'll send you a daily email with links to the news you need and, occasionally, breaking news. Criminal case filed by nun against Fort Worth bishop closed as 'unfounded,' diocese says Updated June 30, 2023 5:10 . He holds a Masters Degree from the University of Missouri School of Journalism and has worked as a writer, as a producer for public radio, and as a videographer. Reproduction of material from this website without written permission, or unlicensed commercial use or I have a difficult question to bring to you, Olson said. He cited several cases to back up his argument. The monastery requested that the bishop lift these restrictions, but he said they will stay in place as long as the civil lawsuit remains in place. These attempts on the part of others have asserted baseless and false claims into the public mind, causing confusion among you, the faithful, Olson said. Asked to comment on the motion to dismiss the case, Bobo said the reverend mother was forced to confess under duress following surgery. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Fort Worth on June 3, 1994, and began his priestly ministry as the parochial vicar of St. Michaels Catholic Church in Bedford, Texas, from July 1994 through June, 1997. Bishop Olson refused to reverse Father Kirkhams resignation, and Father Kirkham appealed the decision to the Vatican. The Carmelite monastery is a contemplative order of pontifical right, with direct governance and oversight by the Pope. No matter how little we perceive to have, God asks that we share what we do have with others trusting he will provide for our needs like the widow at Zarephath who fed Elijah with the last bit of flour in her possession. He appointed Sister Joseph Marie to oversee the monastery. A Fort Worth diocesan priest who resigned his post and later attempted to rescind his resignation has dropped a lawsuit against Bishop Michael Olson and the Diocese of Fort Worth- a lawsuit which alleged that the bishop had defamed him by implying he is a threat to children. In 2017, Father Kirkham apparently became aware that a Dallas priest, whose name has not been publicly released, was having an affair with a married Church employee. His father is a Lutheran and his mother was a Roman Catholic. The Assemblys Public Safety Committee blocked the trafficking bill even as the state faces a rise in victims and a new film Sound of Freedom spotlights the problem. 11 There Why Remove Bishop Olson from the Ft. Worth Diocese? Reverend Mother Superior Teresa Agnes Gerlach has sued Olson and the diocese, seeking more than $1 million in damages. I felt my governance of the diocese required me to put this information out, Olson said. Subscriber Service CenterAlready a subscriber? We learned it through news reports, when the Dallas Diocese told news media there that they investigated and found no grounds for [the affair]. Last week, Father Kirkham dropped the lawsuit he had filed in June 2019. The new charges levied by the monastery are in addition to a lawsuit filed on May 3 that seeks $1 million in civil damages and asks the court to block the bishops and the dioceses access to any records obtained by confiscating the reverend mothers property. A Carmelite nun told the vicar general of the Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth that she believed she was falling in love with a priest and would need to leave the order and devote her life to prayer, according to testimony during a court hearing Tuesday. Marie was working at a monastery in Montana with the Transalpine Redemptorists, a chapter of the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer, a Catholic group of missionary monks. Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time: God's work keeps on keeping on, Hollywood goes to Lourdes with 'The Miracle Club', The novel that will change your mind about video game stereotypes, Silicon Valley real estate firm tests one path for affordable housing. She admitted to sexting. We are made up from a diverse and prayerful group of Catholics in the Ft. Worth Diocese. From left: Bishop Michael Olson of Fort Worth, Texas, in a 2018 photo; Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas, in a 2020 photo (CNS photos/Tyler Orsburn/Paul Haring), Send your thoughts to Letters to the Editor. Olson said in a Dec. 15, 2019 pastoral letter that he learned about Kirkham's letter to the Dallas priest from Burns, who sent him a redacted copy. According to the Star-Telegram, Father Kirkham admitted in a Jan. 7 deposition that he recognized the relationship between the priest and a church employee as abuse against a vulnerable person, but also that he never planned to make an official report. The Sisters of Carmel are withdrawn from the world and spend much of their day in silent prayer. Sign-up for E-NewsletterGet Register Updates sent daily or weeklyto your inbox. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. You need to seek help.. "Bishop Burns never informed Bishop Olson what the investigation [was], Svacina told CNA. Homily for the Thirteenth Sunday of OrdinaryTime, Homily for the Twelfth Sunday ofOrdinary Time. "We are thankful that these law enforcement agencies have decided to undertake this criminal investigation and are confident that the nuns will receive justice under the law of the State of Texas that they deserve," said Matthew Bobo, attorney representing the Carmelite nuns. Kirkham claimed in the letter that while the two priests had been having drinks at a restaurant, the priest had related to Kirkham graphic details about his alleged sexual encounters with the woman. May 18, 2023 from National Catholic Register by Tyler Arnold. A Fort Worth spokesman told CNA that the Dallas diocese has not officially communicated the results of their investigation to Fort Worth. Bishop Michael Olson. The Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth is a Latin Church diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in North Texas in the United States. She has appealed her dismissal. Olson also requested that the Dallas Carmelite Auxiliary halt a fundraiser that is intended to help the monastery with its legal funds. The Diocese is comprised of 92 parishes in 28 Counties of North Texas. Hail Mary, full of grace. The dispute is playing out in court and with canonical lawyers who handle ecclesiastical matters. 16 But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. Turn, then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us; and after this our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb Jesus; O clement, O loving, O sweet virgin Mary. They're the first comments . The experience of Lourdes will gently leave its mark on you in some way forever. Many people and laity of the Fort Worth diocese have reached out to help. The Fort Worth bishop says the nun admitted to the transgression of breaking her chastity vow with a priest during interviews with the vicar general of the Fort Worth Catholic Diocese and another sister from her order over several days in April. Lets follow through with the priests name. Gerlach said she was already seeking help. The crux of Plaintiffs live pleading is that Defendants exceeded their authority by initiating and conducting investigatory and disciplinary proceedings., The sixth commandment states, You shall not commit adultery.. Bishops in Texas offer condolences after a gunman entered a Texas church Sunday morning and started shooting. In May 2018, Kirkham wrote a letter to the priest. It was like former President Richard Nixon saying, "I'm not a crook.". He was consecrated on January 29, 2014, by Archbishop Gustavo Garca-Siller. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Attorneys for the diocese argue that the courts should not entangle themselves in canonical matters, but Bobo said the issues involve invasion of privacy, defamation and property rights, which are secular matters. Let not her name leave your lips, never suffer it to leave your heart. Bishop Michael F. Olson, S.T.D., M.A., was born on June 29, 1966, in Park Ridge, Illinois, to the marriage of Ronald and Janice Olson (nee. Houston, and San Antonio, we have a problem and it is time to take steps to address it. Fraga reported: Olson turned down NCR's request for an interview through a diocesan spokesman, who provided a copy of a letter that the bishop sent to Plumlee. He was raised in Des Plaines, Illinois where he attended St. Marys Parochial School. Its very important that you consider that because other people might be in jeopardy, because I know its consensual is that correct?, But a priest, as you know, is obliged to live his promises and vows to things even moreso for a priest than a consecrated religious., Bishop, most of this was done on the phone., Was some of this in person? On each Wednesday, fast in a way that is meaningful to you (eg: one meal, bread and water for the day, no snacks, no alcohol, whatever would be meaningful to you), and remind yourself of the sufferings of souls in the Diocese of Fort Worth. Strickland has criticized Pope Francis before, for example, saying the pope was "dangerous" when he said he was open to "civil unions" for gay couples. But the Dallas Diocese says the alleged affair might have never actually occurred. And, um, we just got very close., I understand, Olson said. When you subscribe to the CNA UPDATE, we'll send you a daily email with links to the news you need and, occasionally, breaking news. The Most Reverend Christophe Pierre, Apostolic Nuncio. You need to seek help.". There is an ecclesiastical abstention doctrine preventing the courts from getting involved in church-related investigations.. Isolation will draw people away from God. That's when, according to the release, Bishop Olson reportedly "threw a juvenile and unseemly temper tantrum in an agitated voice" and advised that the monastery would be shut down and that he would allow no Mass for the sisters or laymen and then "slammed the door and left the monastery.". She has denied the allegations. The vicar general, the Very Rev. Olson is now saying that this conversation took place before she had the operation. All the more reason you shouldnt be prioress, Olson said. We feel it is our duty as laity to take this action in order to SAVE SOULS IN OUR DIOCESE. Despite this, Svacina said that Bishop Burns had not contacted the Fort Worth diocese directly with the results of the investigation into the Dallas priest accused in the letter. Olson, during testimony, said the priest and nun were sexting.. He was a charter recipient of the CRS Global Fellowship in 1993 through which he traveled to Egypt and Burkina Faso to learn about global development in social justice. We do so in full conformity and obedience to Sacred Scripture and Pope Francis, using the process identified by Our Lord and His Vicar of Christ. He is based in St. Louis. Svacina also said that Bishop Burns had, after an investigation, concluded that the Dallas priests alleged affair had not occured. Though Kirkham never formally reported the alleged affair, the letter came to the attention of the Bishop Edward Burns of Dallas, because the Dallas priest shared it with him. The focal point of this entire dispute is an ecclesiastical investigation into sexual misconduct in violation of the Sixth Commandment considered grave misconduct within the Catholic Church, wrote the attorneys with Kelly Hart & Hallman in Fort Worth. Philip Gray, a canon lawyer, informs us that we, the laity, have rights(and, indeed, obligations) under Canon Law to take action and that there ARE procedures that the Church has given us which we can follow to seek recourse for the untenable situation in our diocese. "Father Kirkham claimed to have learned about the alleged misconduct that he obscenely detailed in the letter over half a year before writing the letter to the other priest, but he never reported it." I want you to know that this evidence and information was immediately reported and turned over by the Diocese of Fort Worth to the Arlington Police Department, the bishop said. Olson raised his voice, according to the lawsuit. The petition detailed alleged verbal abuse to several diocesan priests in the Fort Worth Diocese and alleged verbal abuse and demeaning conduct towards parishioners. 800 West Loop 820 South Father Kirkham claimed to have learned about the alleged misconduct that he obscenely detailed in the letter over half a year before writing the letter to the other priest, but he never reported it. Bishop Olson said. Email is for Clergy, Religious or Diocesan Employees. Bishop Michael F. Olson He will not break a bruised reed or quench a smoldering wick, til He brings justice to victory. On Jan. 5, Wallis said, Gerlach told him that she needed to see a doctor because she was nervous about being late., On cross examination, Bobo asked Wallis if he was aware of her significant health issues. Check out the link in bio for details. She has a feeding tube and uses her iPad to communicate. Staff writer James Hartley contributed to this story. His continued tenure as a diocesan bishop is a scandal. Olson said he released the information about the reported drug use after a press release from Bobo contained what he said were false allegations about the bishop. The organization, based out of a Scottish island, says it can trace its origins back to the seventh century, according to the Papa Stronsay website, named after the congregations island. Claims to the contrary are false and baseless and untrue., Olson also contested the monasterys characterization of the events, claiming that the phone and computers were requested calmly and given freely by Mother Teresa Agnes for purposes of the internal inquiry into this matter.. Find one of these groups and join them or please start your own group. Please follow the link to sign the petiiton. He also asked Wallis why he waited until April to report the grave misconduct.. who was ordained bishop and installed as the fourth bishop of Fort Worth on January 29, 2014. Texas courts have gotten involved in property rights cases involving churches, he said. According to the release, Bishop Olson, together with Rev. This process is like a divorce. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Granted that is an extreme example; however, it illustrates the generosity and care for others we are called as Christians to live. Bishop Olson also threatened a nun of 25 years with dismissal from the order for a telephone call. The priests first name, Paul, and the parish, St. Gerlach says he is Father Bernard Marie from a community in Montana, the Transalpine Redemptorists. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve, to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley, of tears. Thousands of Catholics from across North Texas and beyond were in attendance. Gerlach was no longer the prioress, he said. About; . Take Us With You. He is also a past recipient of the Presidential Fellowship of Saint Louis University where he studied at the Center for Health Care Ethics in the Catholic Tradition between 1997 and 2001. ", Whenever someone refers to themselves in the third person, my alarm bells go off. We won't rent or sell your information, and you can unsubscribe at any time. 5 min read. In that lawsuit, Kirkham and his attorney had argued that the bishop had, in interviews with the Star-Telegram, implied that Father Kirkhams removal was because he posed a danger to minors and the vulnerable. Bishop Michael Fors Olson, S.T.D., M.A. In June 2018, Bishop Olson asked Father Richard Kirkham, former pastor of St. Martin de Porres parish in Prosper, Texas, to resign his pastorate, because the priest did not report to authorities what appeared to the bishop to be a case of a priest abusing a vulnerable adult. The letter depicted in graphic sexual detail what the priest had allegedly told Kirkham about the alleged affair. June 30 ruling grants the Fort Worth Dioceses motion to dismiss the monasterys complaint, which accused Bishop Michael Olson of theft, defamation and abuse of power. They showed up also with another unnamed forensic expert and demanded entrance into the monastery, over which the Bishop has no civil or canonical authority.