Nuns in Texas are in search of a restraining purchase versus Bishop Michael Olson and other Catholic Church officers in a bid to stop a takeover of their monastery.
The lawsuit filed on Monday asks for a momentary restraining buy to be issued against Olson, the Diocese of Fort Truly worth, and the Affiliation of Christ the King in the United States of The united states, WFAA claimed.
It came just after a Vatican decree last week explained Christ the King was staying offered total governance of the nuns and the Monastery of the Most Holy Trinity in Arlington.
The dispute stems from an investigation into allegations that the Rev. Mom Teresa Agnes Gerlach had damaged a vow of chastity as a result of mobile phone discussions with a priest at one more monastery. Gerlach was dismissed last yr following the Vatican sided with Olson’s investigation. She denied the accusation.
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The Reverend Mother and an additional nun filed a separate civil suit final yr, alleging invasion of privateness, theft, defamation, and that the bishop was making an attempt to acquire in excess of an independent firm. This was dismissed by a district choose, who reported the court docket did not have jurisdiction over the matter.
In a assertion in excess of the weekend, the monastery said it “has suffered ongoing attack and abuse” from Olson “in an ugly attempt to seize regulate of our governance, finances and lifestyle.”
It included: “We pray that the Bishop of Fort Value will repent of his abuse, apologize for it publicly as nicely as to us in human being, and make due reparation to the Monastery. Till he does so, neither he nor his delegates are welcome on our residence.”
Newsweek has contacted the monastery and Bishop Michael Olson via the diocese for further more remark through email.
In the application for the restraining get, Michael Bobo, an lawyer for the nuns, alleges that Olson, the diocese and the association are attempting to unlawfully acquire around the monastery “beneath the guise of some spiritual backdoor,” according to WFAA.
The lawsuit argues that the monastery is an independent Texas nonprofit company managed by a board of directors.
“Defendants attempted ‘takeover’ of the Corporation is illegal, due to the fact, in order for them to have any governing energy, they would have to be a member of the Board of Administrators, which they are not, nor have the associates of the Corporation voted to make any of the Defendants a member of the Board,” the lawsuit states.
“The Defendants are striving to use a religious back door to usurp the laws of the Point out of Texas to acquire around the management and assets of the Corporation,” it claims.
The lawsuit asks for an purchase that would halt Olson, the diocese or the association from remaining allowed on monastery residence, as properly as from acting on behalf of the monastery or possessing contact with the nuns except by means of lawful counsel. The monastery is also searching for at the very least $100,000 in monetary aid.
In a statement on Saturday, the diocese claimed the refusal of the nuns to acknowledge the Vatican order is “unfortunate and troubling.”
“The Holy See has acted in a way to encourage and foster unity in Christ for the therapeutic of the Arlington Carmel and of each and every of the nuns who are members of the community—not only the former prioress and her former councilors,” the statement claimed.
“This is an internal church subject that the former prioress carries on to attempt to exploit in the civil court—in which it has no standing,” it explained.
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