Vatican Rejects Nun’s Appeal Against Dismissal For Protesting Rape-Accused Bishop

The nun was expelled by her congregation for protesting against a Bishop of the Jalandhar diocese accused of rape.

A Kerala nun who was expelled for taking part in protests against the former bishop of the Jalandhar Diocese, Franco Mulakka, accused in a rape case said she has filed an appeal before the Vatican against Franciscan Clarist Congregation’s decision to expel her on Saturday, 18 August.

(Photo Courtesy: The News Minute)

The Congregation of Oriental Churches in the Vatican has rejected the appeal of Sister Lucy Kalappura against her dismissal from Franciscan Clarist Congregation (FCC), reported ANI.

Sister Kalappura, who took part in a protest against the former bishop of the Jalandhar Diocese in connection with a rape case was expelled by the Franciscan Clarist Congregation in August for “failing to give a satisfactory explanation” for her lifestyle “in violation of the proper law of the FCC,” reported PTI.

"I have filed an appeal. An email was sent to Vatican. I have also sent it via post to Vatican as well as their representatives in New Delhi”, the expelled nun told reporters at Wayanad.

The nun said the Congregation had sent a letter to her mother on 10 August asking her to take her daughter back home from the convent in Karackamala (in Wayanad).

In the letter, FCC's Provincial Superior in Mananthavady, said the nun should leave the convent if she failed to make “recourse against the decree” within 10 days from the day on which she receives the communication.

Sister Kalappura said legally the congregation could not ask her to leave the convent since she has filed the appeal challenging its decision.

The Congregation had accused sister Lucy Kalappura of publishing poems, purchasing a car and taking part in a protest against a rape accused former bishop of Jalandhar diocese.

The congregation, under the Roman Catholic Church, had said the nun was issued "proper canonical warnings", but did not show the needed remorse, reported PTI.

In its 5 August letter to her, head of the Aluva based congregation, Ann Joseph had said "you are hereby dismissed from the Franciscan Clarist Congregation as you failed to give a satisfactory explanation for your lifestyle in violation of the proper law of the FCC".

The "unanimous decision" to dismiss the nun was taken at the congregation's General Council on 11 May this year, reported PTI.

This was sent to the Congregation for the Oriental Churches in the Vatican through the Nuntiature in New Delhi.

In its notice to the nun early in January, the congregation had termed Sister Lucy possessing a driving licence, buying a car, taking a loan for it and publishing a book and spending money without the permission and knowledge of her superiors as "grave violations".

Sister Lucy Kalappura had dismissed some 14 charges levelled against her by the congregation, saying many of them were a "deliberate attempt" to paint her in "bad light".

In its notices, the congregation had alleged that the nun violated FCC's dress code in public without any permission" and "caused grave external scandal and harm to the Church" by participating in the protest by 'Save Our Sisters Action Council' on 20 September 2018 at Kochi, seeking the arrest of Bishop Franco Mulakkal, accused of raping a nun in Kerala.

(With inputs from PTI and ANI)