The three nuns, buoyed by community support, stand firm in their determination to live out their days in the convent they call home
Newsroom (15/09/2025, Gaudium Press ) In a striking act of defiance, three elderly nuns have fled a care home to reclaim their lifelong home at Schloss Goldenstein, a 15th-century convent on the outskirts of Salzburg. Sister Bernadette, 88, Sister Regina, 86, and Sister Rita, 82, who spent decades as religious educators at the convent’s school, have garnered both admiration and criticism for their bold return, orchestrated with the help of devoted former pupils.
The saga began in 2022 when the convent was placed under the administration of the Augustinian Canons’ Monastery of Reichersberg. Provost Markus Grasl was appointed Apostolic Commissioner to oversee the transition. By late 2023, the three sisters—then the last remaining nuns of Schloss Goldenstein—were relocated to Kahlsperg Castle, a care home less than five miles away, in what they described as an involuntary move. The decision sparked dismay among the sisters, whose decades of service at the convent’s school, which transitioned to coeducation in 2017, had earned them deep respect within the community.
Undeterred, the nuns, with the aid of former students, orchestrated their return to Schloss Goldenstein. A locksmith facilitated their reentry, only for the sisters to find the convent stripped of essentials: no running water, no electricity, and their stairlift removed. Undaunted, they have been sustained by a steady stream of support from former pupils and well-wishers, who have provided food, supplies, and even medical checkups to ensure their well-being.
The nuns’ return has ignited a firestorm of reactions. Provost Grasl called their actions “completely incomprehensible” and an “escalation,” reflecting the Church’s concern over the unauthorized move. Yet, the sisters remain resolute, taking to social media to share glimpses of their renewed religious life within the convent’s ancient walls. Images show them dining from Tupperware containers and attending Holy Mass, surrounded by supporters who have breathed new life into the historic site.
In a recent BBC interview, one sister expressed her resolve, stating, “Before I die in that old people’s home, I would rather go to a meadow and enter eternity that way.” Reflecting on a lifetime of obedience, she added that the forced relocation was “too much.”
As the standoff continues, the future of Schloss Goldenstein remains uncertain. For now, the three nuns, buoyed by community support, stand firm in their determination to live out their days in the place they call home.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Catholic Herald
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