Michael Fors Olson

Michael Fors Olson (born June 29, 1966) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He has been serving as bishop of the Diocese of Fort Worth in Texas since 2013.

His Excellency, The Most Reverend

Michael Fors Olson
Bishop of Fort Worth
Bishop Olson in 2018
ArchdioceseSan Antonio
DioceseFort Worth
AppointedNovember 19, 2013
InstalledJanuary 29, 2014
PredecessorKevin Vann
Orders
OrdinationJune 3, 1994
by Joseph Patrick Delaney
ConsecrationJanuary 29, 2014
by Gustavo García-Siller, Joseph Fiorenza, and Kevin Vann
Personal details
Born (1966-06-29) June 29, 1966
Park Ridge, Illinois
MottoVeritatis splendor
(Splendor of truth)
Styles of
Michael Fors Olson
Reference style
Spoken styleYour Excellency
Religious styleBishop

Early life and education

Michael Olson was born on June 29, 1966, in Park Ridge, Illinois, to Ronald G. and Janice (Fetzer) Olson. He has three sisters.[1] Olson was raised in Des Plaines, Illinois, where he attended St. Mary's School. He then attended Quigley Preparatory Seminary North in Chicago. When the Olson family moved to Fort Worth, Texas, Michael Olson resumed his seminary studies there.[2]

Olson earned a bachelor of arts and master's degrees in philosophy from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. He later received Master of Theology and Master of Divinity degrees from the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas. He received a Doctor of Moral Theology degree from the Alphonsian Academy in Rome.[2][3]

Priesthood

Olson was ordained a priest by Bishop Joseph Delaney for the Diocese of Fort Worth on June 3, 1994.[4] After his ordination, Olson served as the parochial vicar at St. Michael's Parish in Bedford, Texas, from 1994 to 1997. From 1997 to 2001, he was engaged in doctoral studies at the Center for Health Care Ethics in the Catholic Tradition at Saint Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri. Olson then served as a formation director at St. Mary's Seminary in Houston from 2001 to 2006. Olson served as the vicar general of the diocese from 2006 to 2008 and the rector of Holy Trinity Seminary in Irving, Texas from 2008 to 2013. He was named a chaplain of his holiness, with the title monsignor, by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010.[3]

Bishop of Fort Worth

Pope Francis named Olson as bishop of the Diocese of Fort Worth on November 19, 2013. He was consecrated on January 29, 2014, by Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller. Archbishop Emeritus Fiorenza and Bishop Kevin Vann were the co-consecrators.[4] The liturgy was celebrated in the Fort Worth Convention Center.

On September 20–23, 2018, Olson and the Diocese of Fort Worth hosted the fifth National Encuentro of Hispanic/Latino Ministry for 3,000 national clergy and lay leaders in Hispanic ministry.

On April 24, 2023, Olson began an investigation into the prioress of a monastery of Discalced Carmelite nuns in Arlington after she admitted breaking her vow of chastity. The nuns responded by filing a lawsuit against Olson. A few days later, the Vatican's Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life declared that Pope Francis had entrusted to Olson full governing responsibility for the monastery.[5] Ultimately, the civil lawsuit also was thrown out, with the judge ruling that "the dispute was inextricably intertwined with church issues and did not belong in a civil court."[6]

Olson is a panel member of American Religious Town Hall and a frequent radio guest on Guadalupe Radio Network and “The Catholic Current.”

See also

References
  1. "Pope Francis names new Fort Worth, Texas bishop". Catholic News Agency. Retrieved 2014-02-01.
  2. "Most Reverend Michael F. Olson, S.T.D. M.A." Diocese of Fort Worth. Archived from the original on 2014-06-18. Retrieved 2014-02-01.
  3. "Pope names seminary rector bishop of Fort Worth, Texas". United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved 2014-02-01.
  4. "Bishop Michael Fors Olson". catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2014-02-01.
  5. Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life. "Decree Nominating His Excellency the Most Reverend Michael Olson as Pontifical Commissary" (PDF). Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  6. CBS Texas Staff (June 30, 2023). "Judge decides civil court doesn't have jurisdiction to hear Arlington nun's claims against bishop". CBS. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
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