Three elderly nuns who returned to their abandoned Goldenstein convent near Salzburg have rejected a conditional offer from Roman Catholic authorities, deepening a dispute over their living arrangements and public outreach. The sisters — Bernadette, 88; Regina, 86; and Rita, 82 — declined terms that would have allowed them to remain at Goldenstein Castle ‘until further notice’ because the church required them and their carers to cease all social media activity and avoid contact with the media. Christina Wirtenberger, a spokeswoman for the sisters, said they refused to sign because the restrictions would strip away the protection of an engaged public and render any promise legally meaningless.
The three were the last nuns based at Goldenstein. Two years ago the abbot closed their living quarters and they were moved to a retirement home, a transfer the sisters say was against their will and which church officials deny. In September the women left the care home and went back to the empty convent, recording daily life on Instagram and gaining a following.
Provost Markus Grasl of Reichersberg Abbey has argued the nuns should be placed back in a Catholic care home because of their fragile health and has accused them of breaching vows of obedience. The church’s conditional proposal also required the sisters to dismiss any lawyers or legal advisers acting for them. Church officials said they would provide medical care and spiritual support from a priest but warned that if the sisters’ health declined to the point they could no longer be properly cared for at the convent, they would need to move to a nearby care facility.