Three nuns in Austria have defied church orders by fleeing a care home and breaking back into their former convent, sparking an international outcry. Sisters Bernadette, 88, Regina, 86, and Rita, almost 82, left the nearby retirement home on 4 September and returned to Schloss Goldenstein in Elsbethen, near Salzburg, where they had lived for decades.
The nuns claim they were placed in the care home against their will in late 2023 and were promised only a short stay. Nearly two years later, with the help of former pupils, a lawyer, and local supporters, they were smuggled back into the convent. A locksmith, electrician, and plumber assisted in reconnecting the building to utilities.
Provost Markus Grasl, their superior since 2022, accused them of breaking their vow of obedience and said they are living in precarious conditions. He argued that their removal was a necessary act of care. However, the nuns insist they had a right to remain in the convent until death, citing a signed contract and canon law.
Upon returning after 20 months, they found many possessions missing, including a stair lift, recipe books, photo albums, and letters from former pupils such as actress Romy Schneider. The nuns, who have no new recruits, had been the only residents for two decades.
More than 50,000 people now follow their story on social media, with former pupils providing daily care. Sister Bernadette said, 'We were obedient our entire lives, but we could not bear to be away from our home.' Their future remains uncertain as they continue to occupy the convent.
