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In recent days, there has been more troubling news regarding the nuns of the Arlington Carmelite Monastery.

In a statement to the Diocese of Fort Worth, dated July 18, 2023 and posted on the diocesan website, Bishop Michael F. Olson shared that he was recently informed by Mother Marie of the Incarnation, OCD — President of the Association of Christ the King and the Vatican-appointed Superior of the Carmelite Monastery in Arlington, Texas — that two suspended priests have been celebrating the Tridentine Mass at the Arlington Carmel.

Olson wrote that the two men, Christopher Clay and Marshall Roberts, both from the Diocese of Scranton, had been invited by the former prioress of the monastery, Mother Teresa Agnes of Jesus Crucified Gerlach, OCD, to celebrate Mass at the Arlington Carmel. Olson writes that Clay, “who has been prohibited from the exercise of priestly ministry since June 2004, and who has previously been denied permission to exercise priestly ministry in the Diocese of Fort Worth,” does not have permission to function as a priest. Olson noted that Clay is included on the Diocese of Scranton’s list of “Credibly Accused Individuals.” Clay’s entry states that he is “Permanently Removed from Ministry.”

The second priest, Marshall Roberts, is described in Olson’s letter as “without faculties for ministry,” meaning he should not be presenting himself as a priest or celebrating sacraments. According to the 2018 Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report Marshall was one of four priests of the schismatic Society of St. Pius X who was brought into the mainstream church by Scranton’s then-Bishop James Timlin, who established the Society of St. John (SSJ) in the diocese in 1998.

This society of traditionalist priests was caught up in abuse scandals two decades ago. In a 2014 article for Commonweal, Grant Gallicho mentions Roberts and says that he “vacated the Diocese of Scranton without permission and became the pastor of a schismatic group in Jacksonville, Florida.”

Marshall has moved around a bit since he left Scranton. In 2020, the Diocese of Jackson issued a statement about Marshall, stating that he had “reportedly assumed residence in Water Valley, Mississippi in the Diocese of Jackson. Since January 2005, Father Roberts has been unlawfully absent from priestly ministry in the Diocese of Scranton and does not have permission to exercise priestly ministry outside of the Diocese of Scranton. Furthermore, Father Marshall Roberts does not possess the faculty to validly hear confessions.”

Just last year, Roberts tweeted, “Anyone able to house a priest who is looking for a place to live, for a fairly long time? The South would be preferable, but the also those states which are not too far north are possible. I am under some time restraint.”


It seems we now know where he wound up.

Christopher Clay was also close to the SSJ, according to a 2018 NBC News story about the group. The article reports on an accusation of sexual abuse against Clay made by the victim’s father. According to the article, the father wrote that Clay took his son into his residence and got him “so intoxicated that the only memory my son has is waking up the next morning without his clothes on.” According to the Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report, “Clay’s case was referred to the Pike County District Attorney’s Office but no criminal charges were ever filed.”

This is not the first time Clay has served without faculties in Arlington. Back in 2004, he was illicitly ministering at a parish there when Rod Dreher, then writing for the Dallas Morning News, exposed Clay’s record of abuse allegations in Scranton.

Bishop Olson concluded his statement that he and Mother Marie continue to work for reconciliation with the Carmelites in Arlington:

I continue to work with Mother Marie of the Incarnation to restore the sacramental life of the Arlington Carmel. However, until the Sisters accept her appointment as their legitimate Superior, I am unable to grant permission or faculties for the celebration of the sacraments to any priest of the Diocese of Fort Worth or from another Diocese or Religious Institute.

I ask the faithful of the Diocese of Fort Worth and all people of good will to continue to pray with me for the Catholic Church in North Texas, in particular the Arlington Carmelites.


Image: Marshall Roberts (left), Christopher Clay (right)


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Mike Lewis is the founding managing editor of Where Peter Is. He and Jeannie Gaffigan co-host Field Hospital, a U.S. Catholic podcast.

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