The Vatican declared a Texas convent is "extinct" after it was revealed its reverend mother had an online affair with an out-of-state priest.
"The Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life writes to inform you that after having carefully examined your votum and that of the President of the Carmelite Associate of Christ the King of the U.S.A., has determined that the community of the Discalced Carmelite Monastery of Arlington, Texas, U.S.A., is extinct..." Bishop Michael Olson wrote in a letter published on Dec. 2.
In April, Rev. Mother Teresa Gerlach revealed "her grave failure against the vow of chastity with a priest" to Bishop Olson, leading to an investigation that found Mother Gerlach communicated with Montana-based Father Bernard Marie via email, video calls and phone.
"I made a horrible, horrible mistake," Mother Gerlach was heard saying in a recording played in court in June 2023, according to Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
As a result, Bishop Olson issued a degree of suppression and officially closed the Carmelite Monastery of the Most Holy Trinity in Arlington, Texas.
Seven nuns, including Mother Gerlach, "have been declared ipso facto dismissed... They are neither nuns nor Carmelites despite their continued and public self-identification to the contrary."
"Second, the Holy See has suppressed the Monastery, so it exists no longer, despite any
public self-identification made to the contrary by the former nuns who continue to occupy the
premises," Bishop Olson wrote.
Previously, the nuns argued Bishop Olson's investigation was fueled by his desire to gain ownership of the 72-acre monastery in Arlington and evict the nuns; a claim he has denied.
In September, the Carmelite nuns transferred their monastery's ownership to the Friends of the Discalced Carmelite Nuns of Arlington foundation, which is made up of supporters and benefactors who stand with the nuns, according to CBS.
"And we're hoping now that he understands that this property is something he will never get his hands on that he will go back to concentrating on the other million and a half Catholics and leave these sisters alone," Matthew Bobo, an attorney for the nuns and a director of the new foundation, told CBS.
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