A nun fights for her convent

The Wonnenstein Monastery in canton Appenzell Inner Rhodes. Rigendinger, Balz (swissinfo)

The Wonnenstein convent is situated in the idyllic hills of canton Appenzell. But the scenic landscape is deceptive: a dispute has been bubbling around the convent for months.

A few decades ago, 40 nuns lived in the Wonnenstein convent. Today, only Sister Scolastica continues to live there.

In 2014, the remaining sisters transferred the buildings to an association that maintains and renovates buildings. The association consists mainly of members of the Bodania student fraternity which is part of the University of St. Gallen.

Flats and a restaurant

The renovation of the convent’s church building is currently in full swing, and further plans include rooms for a new religious community, but also apartment flats, commercial spaces and even a restaurant.

Sister Scolastica lives alone in the convent. In order for a new community to move in, she has to leave the convent. This is what the diocese and the Vatican have decided, because a solidary sister cannot be her own convent.

Sister Scolastica, with her convent in the background. SRF-SWI

The Capuchin Sister Scolastica wants to stay in the convent. The sisters were not aware of the consequences when they transferred the convent buildings to the association, she says today. She is not allowed to talk about the dispute. The Vatican has forbidden her to speak.

The Wonnenstein convent is 640 years old. The last superior of the contemplative Capuchin convent died in 2020. “Four hundred and ninety sisters lived here. That would make a wonderful story for a book,” says Sister Scolastica.

An interest group supports Sister Scolastica. They argue that having a monastery along side a restaurant or commercial businesses is not possible. The buildings would have to be used exclusively as a monastery.

Fears of profiteering

In addition, the association has been called on to be converted into a foundation. This is because an association can easily change its statutes, but a foundation cannot. The interest group fears that the association wants to renovate the buildings for profit and could change the purpose of the association accordingly.

The convent building is to be renovated. zvg

The association does not want to comment on the dispute, but the Bishop of St Gallen, Markus Büchel, is responsible for the convent and supports the decisions of the association. A use as a religious community as well as other purposes is very possible, says Büchel. There are examples of this in other monasteries in the diocese.

No resolution in sight

Büchel has no interest in dissolving the monastery, but with the new community, it will be smaller. The convent could be separated and a part of it used for other purposes.

No solution is currently in sight. The next step is to hold talks with all the parties involved. Whether this will bring the desired outcome is uncertain, especially in view of the hardened fronts.

This text was first published by the Swiss public television (SRF) and is reproduced here with permission.

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