These nuns live in seclusion, but come out to vote

Mangaluru: Tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the world, these cloistered nuns, who live a life of seclusion and follow a vow of silence in the heart of the city, come out of their monasteries only for two reasons—one of them is to vote during elections, and the other is if they are ill and in need of medical attention.
There are two such monasteries in the coast—Cloistered Carmel Monastery or Sacred Heart Monastery in Kankanady and Nuns Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration, Adoration Monastery, situated in Milagres. All the nuns in the monastery follow a life of chastity, poverty, living enclosed in the monastery and obedience, and maintain a vow of silence. The last time they came out of their monasteries was during the assembly elections.

Unlike other nuns, these nuns have minimal interaction with the public. They converse with relatives and the public through grilled windows in the monastery premises. During lent and advent season no visitors are allowed, including relatives, except on special request.

Speaking on how they participate in the electoral process, the head of the Sacred Heart Monastery in Kankanady said rules of allowing cloistered nuns to participate in the electoral process was amended in their congregation during 1975. “The congregation has strict rules. Some of them were changed or amended in1975. One of them being allowing cloistered nuns to cast their vote. The church emphasised that exercising civil rights is a duty which must be performed, and to allow the nuns to go out to cast their vote, apart from going out of the monastery to go to the hospital,” the head of the monastery told TOI.

The 150-year-old monastery was started in 1870 by France-based nuns. It has about 14 nuns, aged between 26 to 85. One of the nuns is bedridden. The head nun added that earlier they were not allowed to visit their parents, but of late the congregation has allowed parents to see their child, if they are on their deathbed, and express their wish to see their child. “They are only allowed to visit their parents, but cannot stay back,” she said.

When a cloistered nun dies, she is buried in a cemetery within the monastery compound.

On Election Day, which incidentally falls on Maundy Thursday this year, which is a holy day for the nuns, they will take turns to go to the polling booth. “All the nuns cannot go at once to the polling booth, since prayers will be going on at the monastery. Some of our well-wishers will offer us a ride, or we will go on our own to polling booths,” says the head of the nuns of Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration – Adoration Monastery. “It is our duty to cast our vote as we are Indians. Everyone has their fundamental duty towards their motherland. We should do it without fail,” stresses the head cloister nun.

A total seven cloister nuns live in the monastery, which is about a century old. The eldest nun is 86-years-old and youngest is 26-years-old. They involve themselves in prayer and penance round-the-clock. They take turns to pray, including at night.