Bishop of Fort Worth
Michael F. Olson was born on June 29, 1966, in Park Ridge, Illinois, within the Archdiocese of Chicago. After attending Saint Mary Elementary School in Des Plaines (1972–1980), he attended Quigley Preparatory Seminary (1980–1984) and Niles College in Chicago (1984–1986). He pursued philosophical studies at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., earning a Baccalaureate (1988) and a Master’s degree (1989) in the subject. He undertook theological studies at Saint Mary Seminary and the University of St. Thomas in Houston (1989–1994). Subsequently, he attended the Center for Health Care Ethics at Saint Louis University for doctoral studies (1997–2001). He obtained a Doctorate in Moral Theology from the Alphonsian Academy in Rome (2011). He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Fort Worth on June 3, 1994. Following his ordination, he served as Parochial Vicar at Saint Michael Parish in Bedford (1994–1997); as a faculty member at Saint Louis University Medical School (1998–2000); as a formator at Saint Mary Seminary and professor at the University of St. Thomas in Houston (2001–2006); and as Pastor of Saint Peter the Apostle Parish in Fort Worth and Vicar General of the Diocese of Fort Worth (2006–2008). He has served as a diocesan consultor since 2006 and as Rector of Holy Trinity Seminary in Irving since 2008. In 2010, he was named a Chaplain to His Holiness. In addition to English, he speaks Spanish and Italian and knows Latin.