Controversy Surrounds Mdina Monastery Lease

The last Benedictine nun at St Peter’s Monastery in Mdina, Malta, has sparked controversy by leasing the historic property to private individuals for 150 years without proper authorization. The 50-year leases, signed with two separate individuals for less than €2,000 per month, were deemed invalid by the Holy See due to lack of approval from Church authorities. The Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life has suppressed the monastery, transferring control to Dom Jeremias Schröder, Abbot Primate of the Order of Saint Benedict. The nun, who was the sole occupant, will be transferred to another Benedictine monastery. The move has raised questions about the future of the historic monastery and the legacy of the Benedictine nuns in Malta.