Group says Fort Worth bishop overstepping his authority, asks Vatican for his removal
A group upset with decisions made by Bishop Michael Olson has sent a petition to Rome calling for his removal or resignation.
Steve Knobbe, president of the Laity in Unity Foundation said in an interview Friday morning that the petition and letter were sent to the Vatican and to the the Vatican’s ambassador to the U.S. via certified mail. The petition has over 800 signatures.
The petition began after Olson removed the mother superior of a Carmelite monastery after she admitted that she broke her chastity vow with a priest.
“What he has done to the nun is identical to how he has harmed other parishes and priests,” Knobbe said.
The petition accuses Olson, bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth, of overstepping his authority and not properly exercising the duties of his office.
The petition stated accused Olson of operating against canon law on numerous occasions, using abusive language and conducting vindictive actions against priests, nuns and the lay faithful.
It cites several decisions Olson has made: the closing of San Mateo Catholic Church in Fort Worth, the removal and resignations of priests and the resignation of the executive director of Catholic Charities.
“The Catholic faithful are hereby requesting an apostolic visitation and full investigation into Bishop Olson’s actions and behaviors and plead that he be held fully accountable for what we believe to be the misuse of his ordained office,” the petition reads.
The Fort Worth Catholic Diocese wrote in an emailed statement that Olson makes decisions for the “safe environment and common good” of the more than 1 million Catholics in the diocese.
“He has responded with the collaboration of priests, religious, and laity, to addressing past abuses by those entrusted with ministry and to proactively preventing future abuse,” the statement reads. “The vast majority of his decisions are affirmed by the majority of Catholics and draw little, if any, disagreement. Each of these decisions have been upheld by the Holy See. Some people do not agree with these decisions.”
Knobbe, who said he is a lifelong Catholic, moved to Texas 15 years ago. He described how he used his skills as a professional engineer to help the diocese with the process of building St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church to serve the rapidly growing areas of Frisco, Prosper and Little Elm in eastern Denton County.
Knobbe said he got to know Olson when he helped build the new church in Prosper.
“He was always an authoritative guy. He was always specific about what he wanted,” Knobbe said.
The diocese also said in an email that it did not have information on whether appeals were filed concerning the Rev. Mother Teresa Agnes Gerlach and her dismissal from the Monastery of the Most Holy Trinity.
Olson dismissed her after the Vatican gave him the authority to conduct an investigation after he received reports that she broke her chastity vows with a priest from outside of the diocese.
Gerlach and Sister Francis Therese sued Olson and the diocese for $1 million, alleging defamation and theft of private property after the bishop took a cell phone and computer as part of the investigation. But the case was dismissed on June 30 after judge Don Cosby ruled that the secular court did not have jurisdiction in ecclesiastical matters.
Matthew Bobo, an attorney representing the nuns in their civil suit, said he would appeal the ruling, but he did not return an email seeking comment on the status of the appeal.
Meanwhile, Knobbe said he and others in the Laity in Unity Foundation are committed to staying in the Catholic church.
“We are going to cleanse the church itself in the right canonical process. We are not going to give up.”
