The story of the runaway sisters who refused to return to the nursing home where they lived made headlines around the world.
A dispute between three elderly nuns who fled a nursing home to return to an abandoned convent has escalated with Catholic authorities.
On Friday, the sisters rejected an offer from Church authorities to remain in the convent “until further orders”under the condition that they and their caregivers stay away from social media.
Christina Wirtenberger, spokeswoman for the Rebel Sisters, Bernadette, 88; Regina, 86; and Rita, 82, said they decided not sign the agreement because this would deprive them of the protection of an interested public.
Sisters’ Action
The three were the last nuns living in the Goldenstein Castle convent.
Two years ago, when the abbot closed his apartments in the abbey, they were transferred to a nursing home.
They claim it was against their will, but Church authorities deny this.
In September, escaped from the nursing home and returned to the abandoned convent near Salzburg, Austria.
Since then, they have been documenting their daily lives and gaining loyal followers on Instagram.
Rector Markus Grasl of Reichersberg Abbey then stated that the nuns should be transferred to a Catholic nursing home due to their poor health and accused them of break their vows of obedience.
Why did the nuns reject the Church’s offer?
On Friday, church officials relented and said the sisters could remain in Goldenstein “until further notice”.
According to the plan, they would have to meet several conditions to remain in the convent.
These conditions included the “immediate cessation… of all social media activities” and contact with the media. Furthermore, the nuns should “immediately dismiss the lawyers and legal experts who work for them.”
Church authorities also said the sisters would receive medical care and spiritual support from a priest. But if their health deteriorates and they “can no longer be cared for” properly at the convent, they will have to move to a nearby nursing home, they added.
The Church’s promise that the sisters could remain at the convent near Salzburg if they accepted the conditions was only “until further notice” and had no legal validitysaid its spokeswoman.
