Sister resigned

Fight for pension after 49 years of service to the order

"Why don't religious orders have to pay pension contributions?" Gertrud R. (left) was supported by her long-time friend Christine S. after leaving the order.

(Bild: Jöchl Martin/Martin Jöchl)

This case is a first for the ombudswoman. A former nun asked for help after leaving the order. It concerns her entitlement to a pension, which is linked to conditions under canon law.

At the end of 2023, Gertrud R. decided to leave the order she had joined almost 50 years earlier and had worked for ever since. Her long-time friend Christine S. was annoyed by the way the former sister was treated. "They demanded that Ms. R. sign a so-called indult. This would mean she would forgo any financial claim," the doctor was outraged.