A former nun explains why she ran away from her 'Cloistered' life

NPR | By Terry Gross

Published July 24, 2026 at 9:48 AM EDT

Catherine Coldstream entered a Carmelite monastery at age 24, and lived a life of prayer and obedience for 12 years. Her memoir is Cloistered: My Years as a Nun. Originally published March 20, 2024.

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