A group of nuns in Arlington, Texas, has been formally “dismissed from religious life” and their Carmelite order following a protracted dispute with the Bishop of Fort Worth that reached the Vatican.
The nuns at the Monastery of the Most Holy Trinity have “reverted to the lay state” for their sustained defiance of church authority, according to a statement Monday from Bishop Michael F. Olson and the Vatican-approved replacement leader of the monastery, Mother Marie of the Incarnation.
“Their choices have brought upon themselves the different status which is now theirs,” Mother Marie said.
Reverend Mother Teresa Agnes Gerlach was officially replaced as the nuns’ leader on April 30, 2024, after the Vatican and the bishop launched an investigation into claims she broke a vow of chastity via phone conversations with a priest at another monastery. Gerlach denies the allegation and suggested the bishop wanted the group’s monastery property.
The nuns sought a restraining order against the bishop the week after Mother Marie was appointed.
Bishop Olson said his diocese “makes no claim and has never made a claim to the property and assets,” also urging Catholics “not offer financial support” to the nuns.
In response, the nuns called claims they defied the Vatican “egregiously false,” and invited supporters to continue attending Latin Mass at the monastery.
A Catholic nun praying with a rosary. A group of Carmelite nuns in Arlington, Texas, has been formally dismissed from religious life following a protracted dispute with the Bishop of Fort Worth and higher church authorities.
Pawel Kajak/Getty Images
Why were the nuns dismissed?
In her statement, Mother Marie asserted that the nuns “have been dismissed from the Order of Discalced Carmelites and reverted to the lay state” in response to their sustained defiance of church authority.
According to Mother Marie, the Vatican assigned her Association to oversee the nuns’ community six months ago to preserve its “spiritual health and longevity.”
However, the nuns allegedly resisted efforts to align their practices with the guidelines of the Discalced Carmelites, including rejecting the authority of Mother Marie and other superiors, ultimately leading to their expulsion.
Mother Marie cited the nuns’ association with the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) as a significant breach. SSPX is a traditionalist Catholic group that the Vatican considers to have broken away from communion with the Catholic Church. One of the key disputes is about how often to conduct Mass in Latin. SSPX still considers itself to be Catholic.
The nuns formally associated with the SSPX in August 2024, which Mother Marie characterized as “unlawful formal association.”
She stated that their “unlawful expropriation of the juridic person of the Carmelite monastery” and recent refusal to acknowledge her authority were among the final actions prompting the dismissal.
“Their choices have brought upon themselves the different status which is now theirs,” Mother Marie said, stating that these acts represented a denial of the Church’s authority.
Mother Marie concluded that, despite repeated calls to adhere to their vows, the nuns had effectively “chosen to break faith with their Mother, the Church of Rome.”
The nun’s response
In response, Gerlach, who the nuns reelected as their Prioress in August, in defiance of Mother Marie, issued a statement on Tuesday, rejecting the claims made by both the Bishop and Mother Marie.
She described the statements as “egregiously false,” asserting that their dismissal was based on “one man’s wishes and man-made rules” rather than valid canonical reasons.
In her view, their nuns’ recent association with the SSPX and decision to continue the traditional Latin Mass reflect their commitment to the “Discalced Carmelite tradition,” not a departure from their faith.
Gerlach said, “The Vows we have professed to God cannot be dismissed or taken away…we firmly believe and profess all that the holy Catholic Church believes, teaches, and proclaims to be revealed by God.”
She invited supporters to attend services at the monastery and reiterated their dedication to their vocation despite these conflicts.
How the controversy got to this point
The conflict, which began when Gerlach was investigated for the alleged affair with a priest, escalated earlier this year when the nuns sought a restraining order against Bishop Olson, claiming he had sought to unlawfully seize control of their governance and assets.
The lawsuit, which added the Association of Christ the King as a defendant following its appointment by the Vatican, argued that church authorities were trying to “utilize a religious back door” to override Texas state laws governing the monastery as an independent nonprofit corporation. They later dropped the lawsuit.
