How Cloistered Nuns Live: A Glimpse into Their Fascinating Lives

Cloistered nuns, the hidden heart of the Catholic Church, play a fundamental role in the spiritual lives of the faithful through their commitment to prayer and contemplation.

Most people, when hearing about cloistered nuns—and religious cloistering in general—are inclined to feel a sense of bewilderment. In our fast-paced world, which changes at a dizzying speed, often leaving little time to process information or absorb events and their consequences, it is difficult to imagine the life of someone who deliberately chooses to withdraw from it all, to step away from the world and let it flow past from a place of silence and isolation. But is that really how life unfolds in cloistered convents? Perhaps once it was so, but today, things are different.

While it is true that cloistered nuns—often also called contemplative nuns or cloistered sisters—still fulfil a very particular role within the Catholic Church, living in communities separated from the outside world and devoting themselves to praying for the salvation of all, it is also true that their responsibilities and contributions to the modern world have changed compared to the past. There is now greater openness, including encounters with people who come from that very world in search of help.

This form of religious life is based on separation from the material world in favour of a closer union with God. It is also characterised by an ascetic simplicity, a renunciation of worldly pleasures and comforts, and vows of poverty and obedience. The monasteries where these nuns live are generally enclosed, but today, in some cases, it is possible for outsiders to meet with them in the parlour, seeking spiritual comfort and advice. In addition to communal and personal prayer, contemplation, and adoration of God, cloistered nuns also carry out necessary tasks for the common good of the community, such as gardening, sewing, and in some cases, producing goods that are sold outside the monastery.

Great importance is also given to silence, which plays a fundamental role in the spirituality of cloistered life. It is the atmosphere in which they live and the medium through which they open themselves to God’s presence. This is a deep, interior silence—not merely the absence of noise, but a state of tranquillity essential for encountering the Divine Presence.

What Do Cloistered Nuns Do?

But what is life really like for cloistered nuns? Their lives are based on a delicate balance between prayer and work, following a carefully structured daily rhythm. A cloistered nun’s day begins early, at 5:00 a.m., with personal prayer, meditation, and in certain orders, chanting praise to God. At 8:00 a.m. there is a common Mass, followed by breakfast at 8:30 a.m. After breakfast, each nun attends to her assigned duties until lunch around noon.

After lunch, one of the nuns reads a spiritual text while the others listen in silence, creating a space for reflection and deepening their faith. This is followed by a recreation period, where the nuns gather to spend time together. At 6:00 p.m., they recite the Rosary. At 10:00 p.m., they prepare for bed and enter into nightly silence.

In addition to prayer, cloistered nuns engage in manual work, both necessary for communal living and for producing liturgical items, religious icons, sweets, and other products that are later sold outside the monastery to support the community.

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Cloistered nuns renounce family ties and romantic relationships in order to embrace the religious life, but they are not entirely detached from the outside world. They receive visitors in the cloister for spiritual reasons or practical ones—such as receiving material support or selling their products. These encounters with the outside world offer them the opportunity to share their faith and to inspire those seeking a deeper spiritual life.

Silence shields monastic life from outside influences that might distract the nuns from their vocation. It helps them concentrate, immerse themselves in prayer, listen to God’s voice attentively, and remain open to His guidance. Through silence, they learn to discern God’s will and follow the spiritual path He has laid out for them.

But silence is also an opportunity for fraternal charity within the monastic community. It fosters mutual understanding, the sharing of thoughts and feelings, and growth in relationships with their fellow sisters. In silence, a space for respect and mutual listening is created, allowing for a true communion of hearts.

Despite their cloistered life, the nuns are able to stay informed about the outside world. They may read newspapers—especially Catholic ones—and listen to the radio to keep up with events and important news. They watch little television, and only religious programmes or papal appearances.

How Does One Become a Cloistered Nun?

Anyone might wonder how to become a cloistered nun. The journey is one that requires time, discernment, and a deep spiritual commitment. First and foremost, it is important to feel a strong attraction to the contemplative life. This desire may arise at a young age or develop gradually over time.

Any woman can become a cloistered nun. It is not necessary to be a virgin. Vows may be taken even by those who have had relationships with men, by widows, separated women, or even those who have experienced sexual violence or prostitution. What matters most is that the individual has a sincere desire to dedicate herself wholly to God and to follow the cloistered life with devotion and commitment.

Next, one seeks the guidance of a spiritual director or a religious community to begin a period of discernment, during which the vocation to monastic life is explored and the understanding of contemplative spirituality is deepened.

An initial period of formation is required, during which the rule of the order is studied, Scripture is explored, spiritual practices are learned, and communal life is experienced. This formation may last several years and usually includes a novitiate, where one is more deeply initiated into monastic life and participates in the community’s activities.

Eventually, after completing this process, the woman takes religious vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, committing herself to live the life of a cloistered nun for the rest of her life.

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The Carthusian Order

The Carthusian Order is one of the most renowned and strictest monastic orders in the Catholic Church. Founded by Saint Bruno in 1084 in the Isère region of France, the order takes its name from the Chartreuse Mountains, where the saint and the first Carthusians withdrew to live a life of solitude and contemplation.

Carthusian life is unique in its union of solitary men living in small communities while maintaining a strong eremitic vocation. The Carthusians devote themselves to unceasing prayer, study, manual labour, and austerity, embracing a strict rule that demands total dedication and renunciation of the outside world.

The Carthusian Order offers a valuable example of profound spiritual seeking and serves as inspiration for those desiring a life of silence and contemplation at the heart of the Church. Its motto, Stat Crux dum volvitur orbis (“The Cross stands firm while the world turns”), reflects its deep spirituality.

Throughout the centuries, the Carthusians have remained “solitaries gathered as brothers,” living mostly in isolation, except during communal liturgies and a few informal moments such as recreation.

Carthusian monks live a life centred on seeking God in solitude and silence, though they are not entirely confined to their cells. They also carry out practical tasks necessary for the smooth running of the monastery, known as “obediences”. Like cloistered nuns, their days are divided between solitary prayer and meditation in their cells, and moments of communion and sharing, such as Mass. Each brother recites the Divine Office in his own cell. Each is also responsible for daily duties, including housekeeping, all within the bounds of the cloister. Carthusian monks also practise night prayer at midnight, participating alone in the morning office.

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How Many Cloistered Monasteries Are There in Italy?

In Italy, there are around 67,000 cloistered nuns and sisters, spread across convents that often have very small communities. Consider, for example, the nuns of the Monastery of Saint Rita of Cascia, who dedicate themselves to bringing Christ’s light into the world, offering love, compassion, and comfort to those in need. In that Augustinian monastery, there are only twenty-three religious sisters, but the average is even lower—about eight nuns per convent.