Three septuagenarian sisters of mercy recently made headlines by breaking out of a retirement home. They went back home to their cherished Goldenstein convent, bravely challenging rulings pronounced on their futures. Sister Bernadette, Sister Rita and Sister Regina view the convent as their home. They claim that they regret being made to move into the care home against their desire. Their return has ignited a fierce community debate on the issue of autonomy vs. care for the elderly in religiously insular communities.
Sister Bernadette, 88, Sister Regina, 86, and Sister Rita, nearly 82, have spent decades devoted to their faith and community at Goldenstein. In late 2023, the church’s leadership decided to move the nuns. They chose to live in a residential care facility that would better meet their support and health care needs. In doing so, they believed this relocation would sever them from their distinct culture, heritage, and spiritual connection to their ancestral home.
“The provost is by decree responsible for the entire cloister property including all the finances,” said Provost Markus Grasl, who oversees the convent’s operations. He articulated that tougher decisions need to be made at times to prioritize quality of care and safety for older members.
“It is understandable that it is very, very difficult for the sisters. But sometimes in old age, one has to act out of charity and responsibility and make certain decisions on others’ behalf.” – Provost Markus Grasl
Regardless of the university provost’s reasoning, the nuns’ re-emergence serves to highlight a heart-rending clash of institutional paternalism-versus-maternalism and personal agency. During the panel, Sister Bernadette spoke of their emotions at being betrayed, after having spent their lives committed to an order of obedience.
“Could we have thought we would be betrayed like this? Never. We were obedient our entire lives, but we could not bear to be away from our home which is why we came back.” – Sister Bernadette
The nuns are protected by a network of around 200 supporters who provide them security, food, and medical treatment. These supporters have been incredibly important, and the nuns have never taken their independence for granted. Millions more in the U.S. and abroad follow them on social media platforms. There, they post stories from their day-to-day experiences. By early 2019, the nuns had attracted more than 50,000 followers on these social media platforms.
Sister Rita, who was famous for her joyful spirit and her green thumb, always gave thanks to those who helped them. “She brought roses and told us to stay brave,” she recalled about a visitor who had come to encourage their spirits.
Though their return to the convent has been received with shouts of joy from their supporters, it’s not without its complications. She says the nuns have lost control over their bank accounts and personal finances, which the government has classified as collective assets. This reality makes it harder for them to support themselves long term on the land itself within the convent.
“Should have no private possessions in that sense anyway, according to their vows. Anything they have belongs to the community,” explained Provost Grasl regarding the financial management of the convent and its inhabitants.
Tooth has had a personal relationship with Sister Bernadette that stretches back to 2017 in connection with Goldenstein. She first came to the convent as a student before becoming an educator at the school where she would go on to teach six different subjects. Her long multiples with the convent’s mission ground her passion and dedication to their cause. For more than 70 years, she has both educated generations of students and kept the convent’s checkbook.
When Sister Rita entered the community in 1969. Ever since, she’s been instrumental in developing the gardens, which are loved for their beauty and peacefulness. Like Alice, Patricia’s daughters stand for continuity and tradition in a tumultuous world.
Even in their old age, the nuns are still full of passion—both for each other and their convent—offering admiration for their timeless fortress. They intercede for those who must make difficult decisions on their journey. Along the way, they become some of the most passionate advocates for the simple right to live in communities where they feel at home.
“He is in our prayers, at least,” said Sister Rita, referring to Provost Grasl’s attempts at managing their circumstances.
As discussions around elder care evolve, the situation at Goldenstein convent highlights broader societal issues around autonomy and respect for personal wishes among the elderly. The nuns’ journey home raises important conversations about how people of faith can uphold authority and tradition – with a little more insight, understanding, and gentleness.