Published 14:18 IST, October 17th 2019
Sister Lucy to appeal against the rejection by the Vatican
Sister Lucy will have no more opportunities to challenge the FCC decision and will have to vacate from the convent as well if her appeal gets rejected again
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After the Vatican rejected Sister Lucy Kalapura's appeal against her expulsion by the Franciscan Clarist Congregation (FCC), she spoke exclusively to Republic and said she will not give up on her fight against Bishop Franco Mulakkal and those within the church protecting him. The letter from the Vatican, which Republic has accessed, says the 'Congregation has rejected the recourse presented by Sr Kalapura. If she considers the current Decree is against her lawful rights, she can present a new recourse to The Supreme Tribunal of the Segnatura Apostolica with the peremptory term prescribed by the law'.
"Rejection not unexpected," says Sr Lucy
Sr Lucy Sister, in response to the rejection of her appeal, said, "the rejection was not unexpected. The FCC really wanted to dismiss this. They discussed this matter with the archbishop and other bishops in Kerala and after that, they had decided, with all their approval and that of the Vatican." Speaking about how the system has left her with hardly any room for questioning, Sr Lucy said, "The Vatican will only accept the decision made by the FCC. It’s an open letter and they have given me the English version of the letter."
Indications that the 'enquiry' was unilateral in nature was clear when the complaint, Sr Lucy was not even contacted or consulted by those who were looking into her appeal.
"They have not discussed anything with me and they have not enquired anything with me so I don’t know what dismissal this is. No word from them on the enquiry and not discussed anything me. I don’t know what is written in the rest of the letter as it is in Latin and they have only provided me with one page that is in English and they have not mentioned any details in the English letter."
In September 2018, Sister Lucy Kalapura, who had been one of the nuns who stood in support of the complainant who accused an influential bishop Franco Mullackal of rape on multiple occasions, had been stopped from performing her duties in her congregation and banned from church activities. Later, Sister Lucy was expelled by the FCC for alleged violations of the lifestyle choices, a decision she tried to appeal against on several levels. In August this year, the FCC had expelled Sister Lucy and on August 16, 2019, she had written a letter to the Congregation for the Oriental Churches in Vatican, challenging her expulsion. Sister Lucy is currently gearing up to appeal the rejection as she continues to stay at the convent in Wayanad. If this appeal also gets rejected, she will have no more opportunities to challenge the FCC decision and will have to vacate from the convent as well.
13:54 IST, October 17th 2019