After more than forty years at the Fuensanta de Algezares sanctuary in Murcia, the Benedictine nuns are leaving due to the challenges of maintaining their way of life with so few members. Mother Superior María del Carmen Reales expressed her regret, citing the lack of new vocations as the reason for moving to the monastery of Alba de Tormes in Salamanca to stay “united to the Church and to the order.”
The Cathedral Chapter expressed “deep sadness at the closure of this community,” highlighting the positive impact the nuns had on the sanctuary and its visitors. A farewell celebration will be held on January 4th, at noon, with the Eucharist led by Bishop José Manuel Lorca Planes of the Diocese of Cartagena.
Since 1978, the Benedictine nuns have cared for the Virgin of Fuensanta and participated in liturgical celebrations, providing warmth, welcome, and prayer to visitors. The Chapter praised their dedication and service, acknowledging the high standards they set and expressing difficulty in imagining the sanctuary without them.
The Chapter also calls for prayers for new religious vocations and for the nuns in their new journey.
