The other side of Bishop Michael For Olson
Having been ordained a priest in the diocese where he is now Ordinary, and having been Vicar General before that, he was aware of many of the problems when he was elevated to Bishop. He acted quickly to:
1. Erect a parish for the FSSP, offering the Extraordinary Form Mass, and he continues to protect St. Benedict's. He's placed the Pastor on the Diocesan Council, and celebrates Confirmation for their candidates.
2. He has ordained 22 men to the priesthood since 2014 - more than any other of our Bishops thus lowering the average age of our priests to between 30-50 years of age.
3. We have 29 young men attending seminary now.
4. He sought out and sponsored the Cristo Rey College Preparatory High School of Fort Worth to serve students of families who cannot afford Nolan Catholic High
School or other college prep schools. The combination of study and work by the students and corporate sponsors affords Cristo Rey to offer an outstanding curriculum.
5. Bishop also has been the leader in Fort Worth and in the state in seeking regulations that prevent payday lenders from taking advantage of those In financial distress. Likewise, he strongly supported regulations on payday lenders that the federal Office of Consumer Protection enacted.
6. Has established the "Guardian Ministry" proactive in keeping Catholic schools safe places for learning, and the Churches safe places for worship
7. Instead of closing Churches, as many Dioceses are having to do, we are building new ones.
8. He has ordained permanent deacons enough to bring the number of permanent deacons working in our Diocese to over 100..
9. He has traveled, in just this year, to over 70 parishes to personally Confirm more that 3,500 candidates.
10. Speaks the Truth in the public square: From a homily during the 2020 campaign: "To be clear, the right to life is the preeminent human right established and given by God Himself as the right upon which all other human rights depend…. Thus, direct assaults on human life, especially upon vulnerable human life, through such social policies and practices as abortion, assisted suicide, and euthanasia cannot be supported or even tolerated for the sake of other rights or social goods…."
11. Also - from the pulpit at the National Cathedral, March, 2023: "...Catholic politicians who serve the culture of death and reduce the Eucharist to a talisman for their policies, and the Lord Jesus as a partisan mascot..."
12. Serves as the Chairman of the SubCommittee on Health Care Issues of the USCCB.
As President of the first, and longest operating (39 years) Pro Life Center in our Diocese, we have operated under the last three Bishops of Ft. Worth. Bishop Olson has been the most supportive, publicly and privately, in planning, supporting, attending and leading Respect Life activities all year.
