Expelled Kerala nun writes to Vatican, seeks to present case in person before Pope
KOCHI: A Kerala nun, who has challenged the Franciscan Clarist Congregation’s decision to expel her, has written to the Vatican, alleging the ‘disciplinary action’ was taken for participating in protests by a group of nuns seeking arrest of a bishop accused of raping a fellow nun.
In her letter to Leonardo Cardinal Sandri, Prefect, Congregation for the Oriental Churches, Sister Lucy Kalappura also sought an opportunity to her to appear in person before a tribunal which would consider her appeal against the Congregation’s decision.
She has also sought an opportunity to present her case to the Pope Francis.
The Congregation for the Oriental Churches in Vatican had dismissed Sister Lucy’s first appeal challenging the Franciscan Clarist Congregation’s decision to expel her for “failing to give a satisfactory explanation for her lifestyle in violation of FCC laws”.
However, it allowed her to present a new recourse to the Supreme Tribunal of the Segnatura Apostolica in Vatican. “I am deeply obliged for providing me the opportunity for a further appeal to the Supreme Tribunal of the Signatura
Apostolica. It is desired, in this connection, that an opportunity be granted to me to appear in person before the Tribunal to enable me to present to its honourable members my side of the situation.
“It is requested, further, that I be granted an opportunity to present my case to the Pope Francis, whom I venerate and in whose sense of justice I have absolute faith”, the nun said in her letter to Leonardo Cardinal Sandri.
Sister Lucy Kalappura, who took part in a protest by nuns belonging to Missionaries of Jesus Congregation, seeking the arrest of Bishop Franco Mulakkal, accused of raping a nun, was expelled by the FCC in August this year.