Fort Worth bishop says nun described breaking her chastity vow with priest as ‘consensual’
A reverend mother who faces dismissal over breaking her chastity vow with a priest admitted to the “transgression” during interviews with the vicar general of the Fort Worth Catholic Diocese and another sister from her order over several days in April, Bishop Michael Olson said in a video statement released late Sunday.
In his message to the “faithful,” Olson said that the Reverend Mother Teresa Gerlach admitted to the transgression outside of confession and that it was consensual.
Olson then described that she identified the priest during an interview with him, the chancellor for the diocese and the safe environment director. He said the interviewed occured before she underwent surgery.
“I asked her the name of the priest, and she gave it to me plainly and with clarity,” Olson said. “She was not under the influence of anesthesia. She was clear and lucid and had normal use of her physical and mental faculties.”
Olson said that when he reached out to the priest’s superiors, he was told that the priest wouldn’t neither confirm nor deny his involvement with Gerlach and that he refused to cooperate with the investigation. He also said the priest’s superiors “restricted his faculties.”
However, Matthew Bobo, an attorney representing Gerlach in her civil suit against Olson and the diocese, said in a statement that Olson’s statement is baseless.
“The fact that this Shepherd and Pastor of the flock of 1 million Catholics in Fort Worth feels obligated to defame the Reverend Mother publicly yet again with alleged sins that she confessed to another priest — but not in the sacrament of Penance he alleges — is beyond pale!”
Bobo said Olson made numerous allegations of “unknown, uncertain and unverifiable alleged sins committed by a nun. He did this after admitting in his own writing that the core of the matter concerned fell within the confidentiality due to the Seal of the Sacrament of Penance and spiritual counseling.”
The Arlington police are investigating reports of illegal drug activity at the Monastery of the Most Holy Trinity after the diocese said a confidential informant provided photos showing pill bottles, baggies of pot and what appears to be edibles and a bong on tables. A crucifix can be seen in the background.
Olson said that claims that the drugs were planted are false.
Bobo said the accusations of illegal drug use are “preposterous.”
Olson said claims that he and the diocese spied on the nuns after confiscating a cell phone and iPad belonging to Gerlach are false. He described how the canonical counsels for Gerlach and for the diocese arranged for a framework for the information on the devices to be copied for the investigation.
“Please pray for all of the nuns and novices in the Carmelite monastery for their health and salvation,” Olson said. “Please pray for me as your Bishop entrusted to oversee this painful and spiritually delicate matter in accord with the heart and mind of Jesus Christ.”
Gerlach, 43, joined the monastery after she graduated from Ursuline Academy in Dallas.
The nuns have lived on 72 wooded acres near South Bowen Road and West Sublett Road in Arlington since 1958. The Sisters of Carmel are withdrawn from the world and spend much of their day in silent prayer. The order has existed since 1562. Gerlach has been a member of the monastery for 25 years.
