Taking a serious note of the attempts to move the nuns, who were part of the public protest against Bishop Franco Mulakkal, out of the Kuravilangadu convent, Bishop Agnelo of the Jalandhar diocese has directed the Missionaries of Jesus congregation to withhold their transfer orders till the case is over.

In an e-mail addressed to the five nuns, a copy of which is with The Hindu, the Bishop said that he was giving a directive to Regina Kadamthottu, Superior General of the Missionaries of Jesus congregation, not to issue any letters to the five nuns without his explicit permission.

“This will be an order to her from me as Apostolic Administrator in charge of the Congregation-since it is of Diocesan Right, it comes under me,” read the letter.

The letter also sought to assure the nuns that there would be no move from the Diocese of Jalandhar to oust them from Kuravilangad Convent as long as they were needed for the court case. “The truth will only emerge when all the evidence is presented. I am sure the Church would want the truth to emerge,” it noted.

In separate communiqué issued to the nuns early last month, the Superior General of MJ congregation had sought to enforce the transfer orders issued to them last year. While the communiqué to Sister Anupama Kelamangalathuveliyil directed her to join the Chamiyari community in Punjab as per an earlier order in March 2018, Sister Ancitta Urumbil was asked to join the Pariyaram community, Kannur.

Sister Alphy Pallasseril was directed to join the Pakartala community in Bihar, while Sister Josephine Villoonnickal was reminded of her appointment as Superior at the Lalmatia community in Jharkhand in May 2017.

Sister Nina Rose, who had been also part of the protest, and the survivor nun, however, had not been issued any such directive.