Nun alleging rape writes to Vatican

Kerala nun says those who complained against bishop in the past have been transferred

Anun attached to a convent in Kuravilangad, in Kerala’s Kottayam district, who has been demanding action against the bishop of Jalandhar for allegedly repeatedly raping her, has written to the Vatican.

In the letter, she details her predicament and seeks the Church’s “urgent intervention”.

The development came as five nuns from the convent entered the fourth day of a protest, near the Kerala High Court in Kochi, demanding the arrest of the bishop of Jalandhar, Franco Mulakkal.

The aggrieved nun’s letter has been addressed to the Vatican’s Apostolic Nuncio in India, and copied to several other officials of the Vatican.

In the letter, reported in local media, the nun says “I write this letter as a victim of sexual abuse who is seeking justice”, and goes on to talk about the “exploitation that I suffered from Bishop Franco from 2014-16”.

Like a ‘stepmother’

The nun says there have been complaints against the bishop in the past, and that those who complained against him have been transferred to convents in other states.

She goes on to say, while she considered the church her mother, her experience has shown that the church behaves like her “stepmother”. She also argues that while the bishop was being given protection by the church, the nuns were being denied justice.

The state government and the police force have been under pressure ever since the allegation was levelled against the bishop.

The nuns themselves allege that the police are hand in glove with the bishop, thus delaying his arrest.

Over 75 days have passed since investigation began into the nun’s allegation, but police are yet to arrest the bishop.

On social media, one commentator said it was a shame that a local law enforcement issue has now been internationalised, with the nun seeking Vatican’s intervention, thus putting the country’s law and order system in poor light.

Meanwhile, the nuns attached to the Missionaries of Jesus congregation, who are demanding justice, have vowed to continue their strike.