Can Nuns Drink Alcohol?
Yes, Catholic nuns may drink alcohol in moderation. Church teaching asks for temperance, avoiding the abuse of alcohol (Catechism 2290), not total abstinence, and the Rule of St Benedict, which Benedictine communities follow, says "a hemina of wine a day is enough for each person". Each religious order or convent can set stricter house rules, and some nuns choose not to drink at all.
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Are nuns allowed to drink alcohol?
Yes. There is no general Catholic rule that forbids nuns (or priests, monks or lay Catholics) from drinking. What the Church asks for is moderation. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says: “The virtue of temperance disposes us to avoid every kind of excess: the abuse of food, alcohol, tobacco, or medicine” (paragraph 2290). The same paragraph says that those who endanger others through drunkenness “incur grave guilt”.
Can nuns drink wine?
Yes. Wine is part of Catholic worship: Canon 924 of the Code of Canon Law says the Eucharist must be offered with bread and with wine, and that the wine “must be natural from the fruit of the vine and not spoiled”.
Outside Mass, the 6th-century Rule of St Benedict, still followed by Benedictine communities, sets a daily measure. Chapter 40, “The Measure of Drink”, says “a hemina of wine a day is enough for each person” and that “we should not drink to excess but more sparingly”. The exact size of an ancient hemina is uncertain, so it is best read as “a modest daily cup”.
Why some nuns do not drink
- House rules: each order and convent has its own constitutions and customs, which can be stricter than general Church teaching.
- Personal choice: the Rule of St Benedict itself says those who can abstain will have their own reward.
- Other Christian traditions: some churches ask members not to drink at all, so the answer differs outside the Catholic Church.
More on faith and drinking in our religion and culture answers.
Can nuns get drunk?
Nothing we found says nuns are exempt from the effects of alcohol. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (paragraph 2290) treats drinking to excess as something temperance should avoid, and says that people who endanger their own and others’ safety by drunkenness “on the road, at sea, or in the air” incur grave guilt. The U.S. NIAAA explains that alcohol interferes with the brain’s communication pathways, which makes it harder to think clearly and move with coordination. Nothing on that page exempts anyone because of their vocation.
Can nuns drink beer?
We found no Church rule against it, and the Catechism passage above asks for moderation, not abstinence. Beer is also made by religious communities. The International Trappist Association says its Authentic Trappist Product label requires that production is supervised by the monks or nuns, that products are made in the immediate surroundings of the abbey, and that profits go to the community’s needs, solidarity within the Trappist Order, or development and charitable work.
A particular convent can still set its own house rules, so the answer for one nun may differ from another’s.
People also ask
Can nuns drink?
Yes, in moderation. The Catechism asks Catholics to avoid the abuse of alcohol (paragraph 2290), not to abstain completely; a convent may set stricter rules.
Can nuns drink wine?
Yes. Wine is used at every Mass (Canon 924), and the Rule of St Benedict allows a hemina of wine a day.
Are nuns allowed to drink alcohol?
There is no general Catholic ban. Moderation is required, and individual orders or convents can be stricter.
Can nuns get drunk?
Yes, alcohol affects the brain the same way for anyone who drinks (NIAAA). Church teaching, in Catechism paragraph 2290, asks Catholics to avoid excess, including the abuse of alcohol.
Can nuns drink beer?
We found no Catholic rule against it. Some Trappist monks and nuns run breweries under the International Trappist Association's rules, though each community sets its own house rules.
Sources
- Vatican: Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 2290, read 3 Nov 2026
- Vatican: Code of Canon Law, canon 924, read 3 Nov 2026
- The Rule of Benedict, chapter 40 "The Measure of Drink" (Saint Meinrad Archabbey edition), read 3 Nov 2026
- International Trappist Association: FAQs, read 5 Nov 2026
- NIAAA: Alcohol's Effects on the Body, read 5 Nov 2026
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