Carmelite nuns have chosen a cloistered life that takes them away from the noise and bustle of the world. The aim is to devote themselves to prayer and reflection without distractions. Unfortunately, it’s just not that easy to shut the world out, as the Discalced Carmelite Nuns of Littleton discovered.
Instead of enjoying a secluded life in which they can observe silence and tend to their garden, the nuns have become prisoners in their own home. The problem began when a “lazy” contractor removed a fence bordering the nuns’ 13-acre property and replaced it with a much lower one.
The nuns, who do not wear shoes (this is what ‘discalced’ means), and cannot be seen or see anyone else outside the order, are members of one of the strictest cloisters in the Catholic Church. Since the fence was replaced, the nuns haven’t been able to go into their backyard because people can see them.
As if this wasn’t bad enough, the six nuns, who are all over the age of 76, have had to endure people jumping over the fence and trespassing on their property. In one alarming incident, a nun was chased into a building by an intruder. Knowing they don’t have much chance of outrunning trespassers, the women feel very vulnerable.
The nuns applied to the Littleton Board of Adjustment to have a taller fence erected, and the application was unanimously approved by the board on Thursday. Despite their choice to remain aloof from the world, the nuns found support from their community. Several community members stepped forward to make an appeal for the nuns’ privacy and safety.
It’s unclear exactly what the intruders were after when they jumped the fence and frightened the nuns. Perhaps they were simply curious about the Carmelite Order which seems like such an anachronism in the modern world. Maybe, like the one who actually chased the nun into a building, they had more sinister motives.
One thing is clear; as a result of this decision the nuns will have a greater sense of peace and security as they get on with their lives of devotion. They will also be able to plant a vegetable garden for the first time in years.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3_G5Z6IWRs
Featured image is a screengrab from the video.
