2 laicized nuns in Spain return to Catholic communion after leaving schismatic group

Archbishop Mario Iceta of Burgos, Spain, lifted the excommunication of two of the 10 former Poor Clare nuns of Belorado on Ash Wednesday, following a process of personal conversion that culminated in their return to the Catholic Church.

A group of Poor Clare nuns announced on May 13, 2024, that their community in Belorado was “leaving the conciliar [i.e. post Second Vatican Council] Church to which it belonged to become part of the Catholic Church.” They complained that in recent years “contradictions, double and confusing language, ambiguity, and loopholes in clear doctrine have been coming from the chair of Peter.” These Poor Clares also claimed that “H.H. Pius XII was the last valid supreme pontiff,” thus leaving the papal office vacant since then.

As reported by Infocatólica and confirmed by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, with sources from the Archdiocese of Burgos, the two former nuns, known in the community as Sister Paz and Sister Adriana, received forgiveness from the Catholic Church after they had “humbly and gratefully followed the guidelines set forth by the Church to both them and their spiritual directors,” and took the path to conversion.

In a letter dated Feb. 22, Iceta, appointed by the Holy See as pontifical commissioner as the schism unfolded in May 2024, communicated this news to the Poor Clare Federation of Our Lady of Aránzazu, to which the Belorado community belongs.

The Archdiocese of Burgos, in a statement to ACI Prensa, said the two former nuns who were excommunicated and expelled from the religious state in June 2025 will return to full communion with the Catholic Church as laywomen.

“If they wished to become nuns again, they would have to profess their vows anew in some monastery,” the archdiocese emphasized.

Outside the schismatic group since the end of 2024

The original Poor Clare community of Belorado consisted of 16 sisters. After the publication of the sedevacantist manifesto in May 2024, Sister Amparo left the convent, denouncing the schismatic maneuver, leaving 15 in the community, including five elderly sisters.

On June 22, 2024, 10 nuns were excommunicated, among them the two who were forgiven at the beginning of this Lent.

Sister Paz left the group in the summer of 2024, and Sister Adriana in October of the same year. Until now, there was no news about their situation.

On Dec. 18, 2025, the Civil Guard, acting on a court order, transferred the five elderly sisters, between 87 and 101 years of age, to a hospital. Most of them were able to celebrate Christmas in various Poor Clare communities. One of them, Sister Getsemaní, died at the beginning of 2026.

Sister Myriam, the cook in charge of the restaurant opened by the schismatic nuns in Arriondas (Asturias Province), invoked the canonical status of being “absent from the community” last January.

The Catholic Church considers the legitimate community of Belorado to subsist in Sister Amparo and the four elderly sisters who are still living.

Excommunication, a ‘medicinal measure’

According to Infocatólica, Iceta, in the letter announcing the reinstatement of the two women to the Catholic Church, recalled that excommunication “is a legal action considered by the Church as a medicinal measure, intended to encourage reflection and personal conversion.”

“The Church always shows her heart of mercy and, as a mother, is ready to welcome her children who, like the prodigal son, trust in God’s mercy and begin the journey back to the Father’s house,” stated the prelate, who, since the schismatic rebellion became public, has appealed for conversion.

‘Rejoice for these sisters who are returning home’

Iceta, who was appointed pontifical commissioner for the monasteries of St. Clare in Belorado and Derio, as well as in Orduña, called on the Poor Clares to entrust the two converts to God and “welcome them with fraternal affection and rejoice for these sisters who are returning home.”

The letter concludes by quoting Jesus from the Gospel of Luke: “There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous persons who do not need to repent.”

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.