Spanish Nuns Evicted: Court Orders Removal from Convent
Nuns excommunicated from Catholic Church Ordered to Vacate Historic Spanish Convent
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A Spanish court has ruled that a group of nuns, excommunicated from the Catholic Church, must leave their 15th-century convent in Belorado, northern Spain. The ruling comes after the nuns declared their break from the Vatican over doctrinal disputes and alleged obstruction of their plans to acquire a new property.
The Order of Saint Clara’s break with Rome
The nuns, belonging to the Order of Saint Clara, announced their separation from the Catholic church in May of last year. Their decision stemmed from what they described as “doctrinal differences” and claims that their efforts to purchase another convent had been deliberately thwarted by ecclesiastical authorities. This move marked a significant schism, with the nuns subsequently declaring their allegiance to an ultra-conservative priest who rejects the legitimacy of all popes since the death of pius XII in 1958.
Legal Battle for the Convent
Following the nuns’ declaration of independence from the Vatican, the Archbishop of Burgos formally requested that they vacate the historic convent. The Archbishop argued that their excommunication rendered their continued presence on Church property legally untenable. However, the nuns refused to leave, asserting their right to remain.
This refusal led to a legal confrontation, culminating in a ruling by a court in the nearby town of Briviesca. The court, in a decision dated Thursday, sided with the Archbishop, instructing the nine remaining nuns to depart and return the convent to the Church’s ownership.
Court’s Decision and Potential eviction
The court’s ruling stated unequivocally that if the nuns do not comply voluntarily, they will face forcible eviction. The legal basis for this decision rests on the Church’s presentation of valid documentation proving ownership of the convent, while the nuns were unable to provide any legal title to justify their continued occupation. The court did not specify a date for the potential eviction.
Nuns’ Defense and Manifesto
During a recent hearing, the nuns’ legal representative, Florentino Aláez, indicated that his clients intended to appeal the court’s decision should it mandate their departure. One of the nuns, Sister Paloma, expressed defiance to reporters, asserting, “The convent is ours.” She further elaborated, “We are not isolated nuns, we are a legal entity, and they are our possessions.”
The nuns’ dissent was formally articulated in a 70-page manifesto released last year. In this document, they detailed their grievances, accusing ecclesiastical authorities of actively sabotaging their planned purchase of a different convent in Spain’s Basque Country. They also voiced strong criticism of what they termed the Vatican’s “doctrinal chaos” and “contradictions.” Their allegiance was explicitly declared to Pablo de Rojas Sánchez-Franco,a priest excommunicated in 2019,who leads the fringe group known as the “Pious Union of Saint Paul the Apostle.” Rojas is a proponent of sedevacantism, a radical belief system that deems all pontiffs since Pius XII as illegitimate.