Three nuns from Austria in their eighties, who escaped from the assisted living facility where they were placed, have been granted permission to reside in their previous convent “until further notice.”
However, Church officials have stipulated that their continued stay is contingent upon them discontinuing their social media usage.
Sister Bernadette, 88, Sister Regina, 86, and Sister Rita, 82, are the sole remaining nuns at the Kloster Goldenstein convent located in Elsbethen, near Salzburg.
Through a public statement, the nuns expressed their willingness to consider a principle agreement, but emphasized that their valid concerns and requests must be taken into account.
They expressed dissatisfaction with the Church’s proposal, describing it as having the “aspect of a non-disclosure agreement.”
According to the nuns, they were removed from their convent against their wishes in December 2023.
In September, they managed to return with the assistance of former students and a locksmith, which provoked frustration among Church authorities.
Provost Markus Grasl from Reichersberg Abbey urged them to go back to the care home, labeling their return to the convent as “utterly baffling.”
The story of the nuns has gained global attention, with supporters providing them food, electricity, and managing their social media, which shared snippets of their everyday lives.
These posts include moments of prayer, meals, and Sister Rita’s exercise routines, where she recently received a pair of boxing gloves.
The trio of nuns has garnered close to 100,000 followers on Instagram and several thousand on Facebook.
Following nearly three months of this situation, a representative for the Provost, Harald Schiffl, announced that the nuns can remain for the time being.
This announcement came after a meeting earlier this week, where potential resolutions to the ongoing standoff were discussed.
Harald Schiffl informed that the nuns could continue their stay at Kloster Goldenstein but with specific stipulations, such as halting their social media activities.
Church officials have also requested that the private section of the convent not be accessible to individuals outside the order.
In exchange, the nuns will have the opportunity to remain in the convent and will receive medical care and spiritual support from a priest.
The next steps lie in the hands of the sisters, stated Harald Schiffl.
According to the statement issued on Friday, the three nuns will not have the option to seek legal advice in the future.
Additionally, the demand for them and their supporters to stop their social media engagement has been asserted to have “no legal backing and… would remove the sisters’ last form of protection from public interest.”
These three nuns have devoted a significant part of their lives to Schloss Goldenstein, a site that has operated as a convent and girls’ school since 1877.
Although the school began admitting boys in 2017, it continues to operate.
Sister Bernadette herself was a student at the institution, arriving there as a teenager in 1948, alongside students like famous Austrian actress Romy Schneider, a leading film star of the 1960s and 70s.
Sister Regina joined the convent in 1958 and Sister Rita in 1962, with all three later taking on roles as educators at the school, where Sister Regina served as headmistress.
The number of nuns began to decline over the years, leading to the Archdiocese of Salzburg and the Reicherberg Abbey taking control of the property in 2022.
Provost Markus Grasl from Reichersberg Abbey then became the superior for the nuns, and the community was officially disbanded at the beginning of 2024.
The remaining nuns were granted the right to lifelong residence, subject to their health and mental capabilities.
In December 2023, a decision was made to relocate them to a Catholic care facility, where they expressed dissatisfaction.
At the start of September, Sister Bernadette, Sister Rita, and Sister Regina successfully moved back, aided by a network of former students.
At that time, the nuns insisted on their commitment to remain at the convent.
Sister Bernadette stated, “Before I pass away in that facility, I’d prefer to find peace in a meadow and depart this life that way.”
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