Case against Kerala convent after nun alleges she was not allowed to attend mass

india

Updated: Aug 20, 2019 00:51 IST

Kerala police on Monday registered a case against a convent in Kerala’s Wayanad after a nun expelled from the congregation last week alleged that she had been prevented from attending the holy mass.

The Franciscan Clarist Congregation of the Catholic Church expelled Lucy Kalappura citing “serious indiscipline”. Kalappura has insisted she was being victimised for supporting a campaign for the arrest of former Jalandhar Bishop Franco Mullakkal, who is facing rape charges.

Kalappura said she noticed the convent gate had been locked to prevent her from attending the mass and sought police help. “I was unable to come out of the convent. So, I sought the police help. I joined the convent at a young age of 17 and have spent over three decades with the congregation. I do not have any other place to go. So, I will stay at the convent,” said Kalappura, 51.

Kalappura added that she would seek police protection if the convent authorities continued to ill-treat her.

The nun was asked to leave the convent immediately after her expulsion. But she refused to do so.

Police said they broke the lock and filed a case against the convent based on Kalappura’s complaint. “She has filed a written complaint to us saying it was a deliberate attempt to harass her. We filed a case under Section 342 [wrongful confinement],” said station house officer M A Santhosh.

A spokesperson for the convent accused the nun of “being part of a drama”. “We have no idea who did it. Let the police investigate it.” The spokesperson added that canon laws cannot be violated.

Kalappura has dismissed 14 charges against her, saying “most of them were cooked up to paint her in a bad light.” Some of the charges include that she bought a car, published a book without informing her superiors and wore civilian clothes during a function.

Kalappura alleged she has been singled out since her expulsion and her fellow nuns have been advised against talking to her. She sent an appeal to the Vatican on Friday requesting it to withdraw the disciplinary action against her.

She said the congregation sent a letter to her 80-year-old mother asking her to take her back home. Kalappura added the congregation cannot forcibly ask her to vacate the convent since she has filed an appeal challenging the decision.

Kalappura said she replied to four show-cause notices issued to her besides appearing before the superior general. “My struggle is not against the church but against some people who supported injustice and corrupt practices,” she said.

Kalappura added that the main grouse against her was that she supported the agitation against Mullakkal.