Texas Carmelites defy bishop’s order to close their doors to the faithful | CPT PPP Coverage

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In an Aug. 18 statement on their website, the nuns said that Olson has subjected them to “unprecedented interference, intimidation, aggression, private and public humiliation, and spiritual manipulation.”

According to Olson, the nuns’ defiance constitutes “schismatic actions,” that is separation from proper authority in the Catholic Church.

On this basis, Olson said on Saturday that the Arlington monastery “remains closed to public access until such time as the Arlington Carmel publicly disavows itself of these scandalous and schismatic actions.” 

Olson also said that the nuns’ decision to defy his authority and forbid him from entering monastery grounds may have incurred “latae sententiae” excommunication on themselves. 

Excommunication is the separation of an individual from communion with God and his Church and ultimately removes the possibility of the promise of heaven until one repents. It is the gravest matter possible for a Catholic.

Bobo’s Wednesday statement said that the nuns “are not, and have no intention of, separating from the Catholic Church despite the incongruous statement made by the bishop.” 

“They remain dedicated to the Catholic Church and the Holy See and pray that the Vatican will put an end to this malicious persecution by the bishop,” Bobo said. 

Nuns drop lawsuit to appeal prioress’ dismissal 

According to Bobo’s statement, the nuns have decided not to continue pursuing their civil lawsuit against Olson so that Gerlach can appeal her dismissal from religious life to ecclesial authorities. 

“The Arlington nuns chose not to appeal the jurisdictional ruling by the civil court because the Vatican made clear that the canonical process would not proceed until the civil litigation had concluded,” Bobo said. “Based on that, the Arlington Carmelite nuns made the decision to end the civil litigation. It was not because they considered the judge’s ruling to be fair.”

During the ecclesial investigation that resulted in the prioress’ dismissal, Olson denied her the opportunity to choose her own canon lawyer, choosing one himself to represent her. 

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Bobo told CNA at the time that the canon lawyer appointed by the diocese to represent Gerlach was “compromised” and a “lackey” of the bishop.

In his Wednesday statement, Bobo said that “the nuns place their hopes and prayers on a just and fair review of the canonical case by the Vatican to ensure that acts taken by Bishop Olson will be reversed and they will be completely exonerated, allowing them to return to their prayerful contemplative life without further unlawful interference by Bishop Olson.”