By Michelle Ndaga
Three elderly Austrian nuns have staged a dramatic return to their former convent near Salzburg, defying church authorities who had relocated them to a nursing home.
Sisters Bernadette (88), Regina (86), and Rita (81) left the Catholic care facility on 4 September 2025 and moved back into Schloss Goldenstein in Elsbethen, where they had lived for decades.
The convent, historically run by the Augustinian sisters, had been transferred to the jurisdiction of Reichersberg Abbey after the dissolution of the community in 2024.
The women, with the help of former students and a locksmith, re-entered the building despite locks being changed. Initially, they found no electricity or running water, but supporters have since restored basic utilities.
Volunteers, including ex-pupils, are providing food, medical attention, and daily assistance, while the sisters share their renewed convent life on social media, posting photos of prayers, cleaning, and community meals.
Church authorities have criticized the move as “incomprehensible” and unsafe, stressing that the convent no longer meets care standards for the elderly. Provost Markus Grasl of Reichersberg Abbey said the decision represents an “escalation” and urged the sisters to return to the nursing home, warning of health and safety risks.
The case has ignited public debate in Austria over elderly autonomy and the treatment of aging religious communities. Local residents and former students have rallied behind the nuns, viewing their determination as an act of resilience and attachment to their spiritual home.
As the standoff continues, the three sisters remain steadfast in their decision to spend their twilight years in the convent they once served, highlighting a broader struggle between institutional care policies and personal dignity.
