A rare opportunity to observe life inside an enclosed religious order.
The Poor Clare monastery on Cliftonville Road, Belfast is home to just six Sisters. They observe a strict daily routine that has remained relatively unchanged since the 1200s.
Dedicating their life to prayer, each Sister takes vows of poverty, chastity, obedience and enclosure.
Six days a week members of the public can come to the monastery and talk with the Sisters through a metal grill. They still come with their problems and prayer requests -as they have done for decades now. However, the future of the monastery is under threat.
According to Canon Law, a monastery must have at least five nuns in permanent residence, but of the six Sisters currently in Cliftonville Road, just two are professed and permanent members of the monastery.The “old school veterans” Sister Paschal and Sister Mary have hatched a novel plan to keep the monastery alive after they have passed on.
They have arranged for four Filipina Sisters to come to Belfast on a temporary basis. Soon those Sisters must decide if they are to stay for good and keep the monastery alive -or return home to the Philippines.
The poignant and reflective documentary Behind Closed Doors is a rare opportunity to observe life inside an enclosed religious order and a chance to witness the human side of the contemplative life as six grown women spend every day of their lives together.
Will the Filipina Sisters decide to stay and commit the rest of their lives to Belfast, thereby keeping the monastery viable?