In a Dec. 2 statement released by Bishop Michael F. Olson of the Diocese of Fort Worth, Texas, he announced “with profound joy and gratitude to God” that the Vatican had “granted permission for the establishment of a Discalced Carmelite Monastery in Northern Cooke County, Texas, in the Diocese of Fort Worth.”
Calling the news “a moment of extraordinary grace for our local Church,” Bishop Olson explained that the new Carmelite monastery, “the Carmel of Jesus Crucified, will be a place where the beauty of contemplative life radiates outward into the world. Through prayer, silence, work, and sacrifice, the Discalced Carmelite nuns will accompany the faithful and intercede for the needs of our communities.”
The six nuns will come from Carmelite monasteries connected to the Christ the King Association of Discalced Carmelite Monasteries….a federation of Carmelite monasteries across the country. Along with those nuns are expected to come two women in formation for religious life, he said.
The Monastery will begin its life in Texas with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, scheduled for December 8, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, at a temporary monastery location.
We will bring more details once the location is finalized.
Note: This follows the controversy when The Discalced Carmelite Nuns in Arlington, Texas (also in the Diocese of Fort Worth) faced a major dispute with the Fort Worth Diocese, leading to their dismissal from religious life by Bishop Michael Oson, who cited “their own actions,” while the nuns’ supporters formed a foundation to own their monastery, making the nuns tenants, to remove property contention, though the diocese stated they never claimed the property, creating an ongoing situation where the nuns are now linked with the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) and the bishop urged Catholics to avoid the monastery.
As you already know, The Holy See considers that the society of St. Pius X (SSPX) has broken away from communion with the Catholic Church. Although the 1988 excommunication of the four SSPX bishops was remitted in 2009, the SSPX bishops and priests were still unable to exercise any episcopal or priestly ministry in the Catholic Church.
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