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| Defiant nuns flee Austrian care home for their abandoned convent in the Alps | Defiant nuns flee Austrian care home for their abandoned convent in the Alps |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Sister Rita (L), Sister Regina (C) and Sister Bernadette were sent to a care home against their will in 2023 | Sister Rita (L), Sister Regina (C) and Sister Bernadette were sent to a care home against their will in 2023 |
| Three Austrian nuns in their 80s have run away from the retirement home where they were placed and gone back to their former convent. | |
| Sister Bernadette, 88, Sister Regina, 86, and Sister Rita, 82, are the last three nuns at the Kloster Goldenstein convent in Elsbethen, just outside Salzburg. | Sister Bernadette, 88, Sister Regina, 86, and Sister Rita, 82, are the last three nuns at the Kloster Goldenstein convent in Elsbethen, just outside Salzburg. |
| They regained access with the help of former students and a locksmith. | They regained access with the help of former students and a locksmith. |
| Church authorities are not happy - but the nuns are. | Church authorities are not happy - but the nuns are. |
| "I am so pleased to be home," Sister Rita said. "I was always homesick at the care home. I am so happy and thankful to be back." | "I am so pleased to be home," Sister Rita said. "I was always homesick at the care home. I am so happy and thankful to be back." |
| The trio say they were taken out of the convent against their will in December 2023. | The trio say they were taken out of the convent against their will in December 2023. |
| "We weren't asked," Sister Bernadette said. "We had the right to stay here until the end of our lives and that was broken." | "We weren't asked," Sister Bernadette said. "We had the right to stay here until the end of our lives and that was broken." |
| When the nuns returned to Schloss Goldenstein, the convent had no water or power, but the school was still functioning | When the nuns returned to Schloss Goldenstein, the convent had no water or power, but the school was still functioning |
| The three nuns have spent much of their lives at Schloss Goldenstein, a castle which has been a convent and a private girls' school since 1877. The school, which started accepting boys in 2017, is still functioning. | The three nuns have spent much of their lives at Schloss Goldenstein, a castle which has been a convent and a private girls' school since 1877. The school, which started accepting boys in 2017, is still functioning. |
| Sister Bernadette attended the school herself, arriving as a teenager in 1948. One of her fellow students was the Austrian film actress Romy Schneider. | Sister Bernadette attended the school herself, arriving as a teenager in 1948. One of her fellow students was the Austrian film actress Romy Schneider. |
| Sister Regina arrived at the convent in 1958, and Sister Rita four years later. | Sister Regina arrived at the convent in 1958, and Sister Rita four years later. |
| All three went on to work at the school as teachers for many years. Sister Regina was headmistress. | All three went on to work at the school as teachers for many years. Sister Regina was headmistress. |
| But the numbers of nuns dwindled. | But the numbers of nuns dwindled. |
| In 2022, the building was taken over by the the Archdiocese of Salzburg and the Reichersberg Abbey, an Augustinian monastery. Provost Markus Grasl from the abbey became the nuns' superior. | In 2022, the building was taken over by the the Archdiocese of Salzburg and the Reichersberg Abbey, an Augustinian monastery. Provost Markus Grasl from the abbey became the nuns' superior. |
| The community was officially dissolved at the beginning of 2024, and the remaining nuns were granted lifelong right of residence, as long as their health and mental capacity allowed. | The community was officially dissolved at the beginning of 2024, and the remaining nuns were granted lifelong right of residence, as long as their health and mental capacity allowed. |
| Sister Bernardette is far happier back at the convent serving plum dumplings to Sister Rita | Sister Bernardette is far happier back at the convent serving plum dumplings to Sister Rita |
| In December 2023, the decision was made to transfer them to a Catholic care home, where they were unhappy. | In December 2023, the decision was made to transfer them to a Catholic care home, where they were unhappy. |
| At the beginning of September, Sister Bernadette, Sister Rita and Sister Regina moved back, helped by a group of former students. | At the beginning of September, Sister Bernadette, Sister Rita and Sister Regina moved back, helped by a group of former students. |
| "I have been obedient all my life, but it was too much," Sister Bernadette said. | "I have been obedient all my life, but it was too much," Sister Bernadette said. |
| They packed up a few belongings and came back to the convent. The locks to their former apartments had been changed so a locksmith was called. | They packed up a few belongings and came back to the convent. The locks to their former apartments had been changed so a locksmith was called. |
| When they first arrived, there was no electricity or water. | When they first arrived, there was no electricity or water. |
| In a statement, Provost Grasl said the nuns' decision to return to the convent was "completely incomprehensible" and "an escalation". | In a statement, Provost Grasl said the nuns' decision to return to the convent was "completely incomprehensible" and "an escalation". |
| "The rooms in the convent are no longer usable and in no way meet the requirements for proper care," he said. | "The rooms in the convent are no longer usable and in no way meet the requirements for proper care," he said. |
| He said the nuns' "precarious health conditions" meant "that independent living at Goldenstein Convent was no longer possible". | He said the nuns' "precarious health conditions" meant "that independent living at Goldenstein Convent was no longer possible". |
| Grasl said the old people's home had provided them with "absolutely essential, professional, and good medical care". | Grasl said the old people's home had provided them with "absolutely essential, professional, and good medical care". |
| Many of the nuns' wishes about the future of the convent had been taken into account, he added, including the continuation of the school. | Many of the nuns' wishes about the future of the convent had been taken into account, he added, including the continuation of the school. |
| Provost Markus Grasl says the rooms at the convent are no longer usable and the nuns' decision to return is incomprehensible | Provost Markus Grasl says the rooms at the convent are no longer usable and the nuns' decision to return is incomprehensible |
| The three nuns are settling back in to their former home. | The three nuns are settling back in to their former home. |
| Electricity and water connections have now been partially restored, supporters are bringing food and groceries, and they have been seen by doctors. | Electricity and water connections have now been partially restored, supporters are bringing food and groceries, and they have been seen by doctors. |
| There is a steady stream of visitors, many of whom are their former students. | There is a steady stream of visitors, many of whom are their former students. |
| One of them, Sophie Tauscher, said the nuns belong at the convent. "Goldenstein without the nuns is just not possible." | One of them, Sophie Tauscher, said the nuns belong at the convent. "Goldenstein without the nuns is just not possible." |
| "When they need us, they just have to call us and we will be there, for sure. The nuns here changed so many lives in such a good way." | "When they need us, they just have to call us and we will be there, for sure. The nuns here changed so many lives in such a good way." |
| Alisha, another student said the nuns always recognised old pupils. | Alisha, another student said the nuns always recognised old pupils. |
| Videos of the nuns have been posted on Instagram, at prayer, at Mass, at lunch and climbing down the steep staircase. | Videos of the nuns have been posted on Instagram, at prayer, at Mass, at lunch and climbing down the steep staircase. |
| They say their old stairlift was ripped out after they were taken away. | They say their old stairlift was ripped out after they were taken away. |
| The nuns say they are determined to stay. | The nuns say they are determined to stay. |
| "Before I die in that old people's home, I would rather go to a meadow and enter eternity that way," said Sister Bernadette. | "Before I die in that old people's home, I would rather go to a meadow and enter eternity that way," said Sister Bernadette. |