Philadelphia’s “Pink Nuns” Have Been Praying Nonstop for 100 Years

Pope Francis’ visit in September shined a light on Catholicism in Philadelphia. The vast number of faithful who turned out to see the pope were indicative of the fact that, even in the twenty-first century, the power of the Catholic Church hasn’t completely faltered. The New York Post recently ran a story on a fascinating sect of nuns who live, pray. and work just minutes away from the big-city hubbub of Philadelphia’s Center City.

The pink sisters are known for their distinctive rose-hued habits.

The so-called Pink Sisters have been working together to ensure nonstop prayer for the past century in Philadelphia’s Chapel of Divine Love. They work in shifts to pray around the clock. The sisters got their name from their distinctive pink habits, which they wear only when within the confines of the chapel or their convent. That is most of the time, since they are a cloistered sect. When they go out, which is infrequent, they wear gray.

The number of Pink Sisters, much like the overall number of Catholic nuns in the United States, is dwindling. There used to be as many as 40 nuns living together in the convent; today there are only 20. The youngest of the sisters is 52. The oldest is 90. As a result, the sisters have started quietly reaching out in the first informal “recruitment” that they have ever done. The sisters have hung a banner outside the chapel and convent to advertise their daily services. They have begun granting more interviews with the press – all taking place through the grille in the chapel’s visiting room. And they have even hung a flier inside the front door of the chapel asking young women if they feel called to a holy life. The sisters say that mostly they leave it up to God to do the recruiting for them.

It’s an austere life that the nuns lead. They get just one hour of free time daily and are allowed visits from family members only three times a year.