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Kerala Nun Protesting Against Rape Accused Bishop Asked To Vacate Convent
Writer: Nishit Navin
I have lived in 7 cities across India. I completed my graduation with a triple major in English, Journalism, and animation. Currently, I am doing my master's in journalism from SIMC, Pune.
Kerala, 17 Jun 2021 4:46 AM GMT | Updated 17 Jun 2021 4:47 AM GMT
Editor : Palak Agrawal |
Palak a journalism graduate believes in simplifying the complicated and writing about the extraordinary lives of ordinary people. She calls herself a " hodophile" or in layman words- a person who loves to travel.
Creatives : Nishit Navin
I have lived in 7 cities across India. I completed my graduation with a triple major in English, Journalism, and animation. Currently, I am doing my master's in journalism from SIMC, Pune.
Sister Lucy Kalappura was dismissed from the congregation in 2019. The eviction order came one week after her third appeal against the expulsion was dismissed by the Vatican.
Sister Lucy Kalappura, the nun who was dismissed from the Franciscan Clarist Congregation (FCC) in 2019 and who joined the protest against rape-accused bishop Franko Mulakkal, has refused to follow the eviction order until an Indian court hears her petition.
On June 13, Kalappura was asked to vacate the convent at Karakkamal in Wayanad's Mananthavady after the Vatican dismissed the appeal against her dismissal from the congregation.
A letter by the Superintendent of the FCC revealed that the eviction order came after she had exhausted all the possible legal avenues under the Catholic Church, NDTV reported.
"There is no further legal remedy available to you to within the Catholic legal system to challenge your dismissal... your right to continue as a member of the FCC is now definitively and irrevocably extinguished," the letter informed.
The Case
In January 2019, Kalappura took part in a demonstration, in Kochi, that organised against Father Mulakkal after he was accused of raping a nun.
Father Mulakkal took a break from bishophood after three more nuns made similar complaints of rape against him. He is currently on bail and his case is being heard at Kottayam court.
Kalappura's dismissal, however, took place on 'disciplinary grounds' as the congregation cited the violation of FCC codes citing her lifestyle, which included joining a protest, driving, writing a book, and earning remuneration as a teacher in a government-run school.
She has maintained that the actions taken against her were solely the result of her participation in the protest against Father Mulakkal.
Since her dismissal, Kalappura has appealed to multiple forums of the Catholic Church against the decision but to no avail. She remains determined to keep fighting against the orders of the congregation.
"Is this what Christianity is about? The Superior General is rejoicing at Sister Lucy's dismissal. Better if such people are not nuns forget about being Superior Generals. Secondly, why has the Vatican letter not been written in language a person understands and that too reaching after a year from its issue?" AM Sodder, an advocate and a member of the Association of Concerned Catholics told NDTV.
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