“Don’t tweet too much” – Vatican says that cloistered nuns should use social media with sobriety and discretion

The Vatican has issued new guidelines for cloistered nuns, reminding them that they’re supposed to live separated from the world and in silence — and therefore shouldn’t be tweeting too much or downloading too much news.

The instructions from the Vatican’s office for religious orders cover a host of administrative and financial issues. Included are norms for when a monastery must be closed because the number of nuns shrinks to the point that the community is no longer viable — an increasingly frequent occurrence.

The document released Tuesday also reminds contemplative nuns that theirs is a silent vocation. It says social communication must be used “with sobriety and discretion, not only with regard to the contents but also to the quantity of information and the type.”