Nun’s lawyer accuses Fort Worth diocese of faking photos of marijuana in monastery
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What we know about the The Fort Worth Catholic Diocese’s dispute with a Carmelite nun
Arlington police have begun investigating a dispute between the Fort Worth Catholic Diocese and a reverend mother who says she was wrongly accused of “sexual misconduct” with a priest.
The diocese, meanwhile, told the Star-Telegram it has alerted police of “serious concerns” of marijuana and edibles inside the Arlington monastery of Carmelite nuns. The Fort Worth bishop says the nun admitted to the “transgression” of breaking her chastity vow with a priest during interviews with the vicar general of the Fort Worth Catholic Diocese and another sister from her order over several days in April.
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An attorney representing nuns from the Monastery of the Most Holy Trinity who are suing Bishop Michael Olson and the Fort Worth Catholic Diocese said he believes photos showing drugs were staged by the diocese.
Matthew Bobo said Thursday that there is no proof that photos showing piles of bottles that appear to be marijuana edibles and other paraphernalia were taken at the monastery where the Reverend Mother Teresa Agnes Gerlach is appealing her dismissal after she was accused of breaking her chastity vows with a priest.
An Arlington police department spokesman said there is a preliminary investigation taking place of allegations involving the monastery and diocese.
The diocese said in an emailed statement Wednesday that a confidential informant took the photos inside the monastery and that the diocese contacted police over “serious” concerns about marijuana use and use of edibles.
Bobo argued that the diocese released the photos after the police said they were conducting a criminal investigation.
He also told the Star-Telegram that he would invite the police to bring their drug sniffing dogs to “scour the monastery.”
However, a spokesman for the police department said in an email, “As a matter of policy and procedure, the Arlington Police Department would not enter any property and search for items that could be relevant to an investigation without first establishing probable cause to do so and obtaining a search warrant.”
This story was originally published June 8, 2023 at 5:42 PM.
