The bishop said she made the admission in front of him, Sister Francis Therese, Chancellor and Moderator of the Curia Msgr. E. James Hart, and Director of Safe Environment Sandra Schrader-Farry.
The reverend mother’s lawyer has claimed that she never had sexual relations with a priest and that she was under the influence of pain medication after an operation when the bishop questioned her and does not remember the admission. Olson is now saying that this conversation took place before she had the operation.
“This conversation took place the late afternoon of the day before she had surgery; not after the surgery,” Olson said. “She was not under the influence of anesthesia. She was clear and lucid and had normal use of her physical and mental faculties at that time. Claims to the contrary are false and baseless and untrue.”
Olson also contested the monastery’s characterization of the events, claiming that the phone and computers “were requested calmly and given freely by Mother Teresa Agnes for purposes of the internal inquiry into this matter.”
The bishop said he reported the priest to his superiors after being given his name and said the priest refused to either confirm or deny the allegations. He said the priest is not currently assigned and has restricted faculties. The reverend mother has been dismissed from religious life.
Olson also denied allegations that he is seeking information about the monastery’s donor list and said that accusations that he and the diocese are spying on the monastery are “baseless, ludicrous, and not true.”
Amid the investigation, Olson further alleged that individuals closely associated with the monastery have come to him with information about illegal drug activity, but did not elaborate on specifically who is accused of possessing the drugs. The diocese also released photos, which they claimed show marijuana edibles in the monastery.
“I want you to know that this evidence and information was immediately reported and turned over by the Diocese of Fort Worth to the Arlington Police Department,” the bishop said.
While the bishop’s investigation is ongoing, he has put restrictions on the monastery, which prevent the nuns from accessing daily Mass and regular confession. The restrictions also prevent lay participation in the Mass. The monastery requested that the bishop lift these restrictions, but he said they will stay in place as long as the civil lawsuit remains in place.
Olson also requested that the Dallas Carmelite Auxiliary halt a fundraiser that is intended to help the monastery with its legal funds. He accused the auxiliary of being “complicit in rebellious disobedience.”
The bishop also asked for prayers for the diocese, the monastery, the reverend mother, and for himself.
(Story continues below)
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Tyler Arnold is a staff reporter for the National Catholic Register. He previously worked at The Center Square and has been published in a variety of outlets, including The Associated Press, National Review, The American Conservative and The Federalist.