Vatican approves Kerala nun’s expulsion, rejects her appeal

Thiruvananthapuram: The Vatican has rejected Sister Lucy Kalapura’s appeal seeking to revoke her expulsion from the Franciscan Clarist Congregation (FCC) of the Catholic Church. The FCC had expelled her in August saying her ‘lifestyle’ violated congregation laws.

The nun, however, has reiterated her claim that she was being victimised for supporting the agitation to arrest deposed bishop of Jalandhar Franco Mullakal, who is facing rape charges.

She added that she would remain at the convent. The nun said she got a communiqué from the Vatican, written in Latin, with a covering letter by Ann Joseph, the superior general of FCC in New Delhi. “The recourse presented by Sister Kalapura stands rejected. If she considers the present decree is against her lawful rights, she can present a new recourse to the Supreme Tribunal of Segnatura Apostilica,” says letter. The nun added that since the Vatican letter was in Latin, she couldn’t understand the details.

“I don’t have any place to go. I have lived my life for the congregation. I will remain at the convent and will send another letter to the Vatican to revoke the punishment,” she said. A teacher, she is currently attached to the Mananthwadi diocese in Wayanad, north Kerala.

She said most of the charges raised against her were baseless and she had been asked to vacate the convent several times. Previously, she was issued four showcause notices and she says she had replied to all and even appeared before the superior general in person. “I will remain as nun till my last,” she added.

She said her struggle was not against the church, but against some people who supported injustice and corrupt practices. She had staged a day-long dharna in Kochi recently seeking action against a priest who allegedly insulted her by posting a fake video on social media.

In June 2018, a 43-year-old nun had filed a police complaint in Kottayam alleging that Bishop Franco Mullakal had sexually assaulted after summoning her on the pretext of discussing an important issue in 2014 and it continued for two more years.

Later, she had also released a seven-page letter that she had written to the Vatican Ambassador in India, narrating how her plight was overlooked by church authorities in Kerala.

When police failed to arrest the bishop, five fellow nuns had staged a sit-in protest in Kochi. Many like Kalapura had joined the dharna.

SISTER LUCY KALAPURA CLAIMS THAT SHE IS BEING VICTIMISED FOR SUPPORTING THE AGITATION TO ARREST DEPOSED BISHOP OF JALANDHAR FRANCO MULLAKAL