The monastery in Starosądecki was founded in the 13th century by St. Kinga, shortly after the arrival of the first Poor Clares to Poland in 1281. St. Kinga cared for the monastery, and in 1288 she entered it herself. She died in 1292 and was buried here. The monastery in Nowy Sącz is today one of the seven monasteries of Poor Clares in Poland (the others are located in Kraków, Miedniewice, Sitaniec near Zamość, Skaryszew, Sandomierz and Kalisz). There are currently about thirty sisters there. The sisters work for their livelihood, among others by making communicants, wafers or sewing liturgical vestments. Poor Clares live behind the enclosure, they do not leave the monastery walls.
