THREE young nuns have taken the unprecedented step of publicly revealing their reasons for opting to devote their lives to an enclosed order.

The nuns, all in their 30s, have exclusively released their testimonies to the Sunday Tribune this weekend in conjunction with an innovative open day for young people held by the Poor Clares in Galway yesterday.

The three - Sr Colette, Sr Myriam and Sr Faustina - have disclosed how they decided to turn their backs on their lives as, respectively, an accountant, a successful businesswoman and a passionate student activist for a convent vocation.

The extracts from their testimonies printed below mark a new departure for the contemplative order as the young nuns reveal their most personal feelings about religious life.

Sr Colette said: "The personal stories of other sisters helped us recent entrants to get a sense of the ordinariness of the women who are called to this way of life. It became possible to connect with them as flesh and blood people. We feel that by making our stories available, we may encourage other young people who are searching for God, not to mention those people who are trying to discern a religious vocation."

Just 12 women joined Ireland's 123 communities of religious sisters in 2004, according to the most recent available figures. This means that just onein-10 orders welcomed a new member in 2004, a stark contrast with the 700 women who became nuns in 1965.

The Poor Clare Order, based at Nun's Island beside Galway City Cathedral, yesterday gave young people an opportunity to temporarily taste life in a monastic setting.

"We feel that young people are under a lot of pressure and stress and today's event has given them an opportunity to take a step back from their stressful lives and see that there are alternatives, " said Sr Colette.

The open day was an attempt by the nuns to "engage with young people while adhering to the perennial values of life in the church, which is characterised in a special way by physical enclosure."

"It may have seemed strange to the young people attending the event that the nuns, even during the informal sharing session, spoke from behind a grille in the monastery parlour. We are dedicated to a wholly contemplative way of life, " said Sr Colette. "This involves an intensive search for God in an atmosphere of silence and solitude lived at the same time in the warmth of a Franciscan family spirit."

A large number of young people between the ages of 18 and 35 attended yesterday's event, which was hosted by the Poor Clare Order and included a talk by local Franciscan Fr Francis Cotter. The full text of the three young nuns' testimonies will soon be accessible on the Poor Clares' website - www. poorclares. ie.

A day in the life at the convent

WITH the exception of 'The Irish Catholic' and other religious publications, the Poor Clare nuns do not read newspapers and are only allowed to watch television at Christmas and Easter, while some nuns listen to the radio news once a day.

As the Poor Clares are an enclosed order, they only leave the convent in exceptional circumstances, such as formation courses, medical appointments or to vote in elections.

5.15-5.30am: Get up 5.45am: Meditation and exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
6.30am: Morning prayer followed by breakfast and a spiritual reading 8am: Mass followed by thanksgiving
9am: Start work producing altar breads for the diocese and beyond. Most of the sisters are involved in that work while there is always at least one sister at adoration.
12 noon: Prayers, including psalms and scripture 1pm: Lunch followed by work, such as gardening
2.30pm: More prayer, or 'divine office'
3-4.30pm: Study time and personal time for the sisters to have to themselves
4.30pm: Meditation 5pm: Rosary 6pm: Evening prayer followed by supper
7-7.30pm: Recreation 7.30-8pm: Night prayer
8.30-9pm: Go to bed
11.45pm-12.45am: Nuns get up for an hour of prayer or Matins before returning to bed.