Nun who protested against Franco warned of expulsion

The Catholic church in Kerala has issued a fresh notice to a nun, who took part in the stir against rape accused former Bishop Franco Mulakkal, warning her of expulsion.

Sister Lucy Kalappura of the Mananthavady diocese in Wayanad district in North Kerala was served the second notice asking her to give a satisfactory explanation before March 10 on a series of charges against her, including causing insult to the church leadership.

A similar notice was served to the nun last month also. But the church leadership maintained that the explanation she gave was not satisfactory. The charges against the nun included publishing books and purchasing a car without the church’s permission, talking to media, accommodating a woman journalist in her room for a night and regularly returning to the convent late in the evening.

The action against sister Lucy is alleged to be vindictive measure by the church as she had openly supported the stir by sisters of the St Francis Mission Home at Kuravilangad in Kottayam district last year demanding legal action against Franco who allegedly repeatedly rape a fellow nun of the convent. Franco, who was then Bishop of Jalandhar, was arrested and investigation into the rape case against him is progressing. He is now under bail.

The church leadership had recently initiated vindictive actions like transfer against the four nuns of the Kurivilangad convent, which also triggered widespread protests. A section of church leadership was learnt to be opposed to the moves against the nuns.