KERALA NUN WRITES TO VATICAN
KOCHI: A nun from Kerala, who has challenged the Franciscan Clarist Congregation’s decision to expel her in August this year, has written to the Vatican alleging that the “disciplinary action” was taken for participating in protests by a group of nuns seeking arrest of Bishop Franco Mulakkal, accused of raping a fellow nun.
KOCHI: A Kerala nun, who has challenged the Franciscan Clarist Congregation’s decision to expel her, has written to the Vatican, alleging the “disciplinary action” was taken for participating in protests by a group of nuns seeking arrest of a bishop accused of raping a fellow nun.
Sister Lucy Kalappura, who took part in a protest by nuns belonging to Missionaries of Jesus Congregation, seeking the arrest of Bishop Franco Mulakkal, accused of raping a nun, was expelled by the FCC in August this year.
In her letter to Leonardo Cardinal
Sandri, Prefect, Congregation for the Oriental Churches, Sister Kalappura also sought an opportunity to her to appear in person before a tribunal which would consider her appeal against the Congregation’s decision. She has also sought a chance to present her case to the Pope Francis.
The Congregation for the Oriental Churches in Vatican had dismissed Sister Lucy’s first appeal challenging the Franciscan Clarist Congregation’s decision to expel her for “failing to give a satisfactory explanation for her lifestyle in violation of FCC laws”.
It, however, allowed her to present a new recourse to the Supreme Tribunal of the Segnatura Apostolica in Vatican.
“I am deeply obliged for providing me the opportunity for a further appeal to the Supreme Tribunal of the Signatura Apostolica. It is desired, in this connection, that an opportunity be granted to me to appear in person before the Tribunal to enable me to present to its honourable members my side of the situation.
“It is requested, further, that I be granted an opportunity to present my case to the Pope Francis,” the nun said.
In her letter, the nun said the FCC congregation initiated ‘disciplinary action’ against her.
“In my case too, what purports to be ‘disciplinary action’, and what in reality are reprisals, against me commenced only after I stood by the sisters of the Missionaries of Jesus in their efforts to secure justice for the outraged nun,” she said.
“I wish to urge strenuously that the actions initiated against me, and the vindictiveness it reeks of, cannot be understood aright, if they are seen in isolation from the Franco Mulakkal matter as the trigger,” she wrote.