Kerala court stays expulsion of Sister Lucy Kalappura till Jan 1

The Mananthavady Munsif court in Kerala held the expulsion till January 1, 2020, of Sister Lucy Kalappura, one of the Kerala nuns who were fighting against rape accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal. Sister Lucy was dismissed from Franciscan Clarist Congregation (FCC) for alleged violation of norms in August.

Wayanad (Kerala): A Kerala court has stayed till January 1, 2020, the expulsion of Sister Lucy Kalappura, who was dismissed from Franciscan Clarist Congregation (FCC) for alleged violation of norms in August this year.

Mananthavady Munsif court stayed the expulsion while hearing a plea filed by the nun.

Sister Lucy was expelled from the congregation on August 7 after she extended her support to nuns who were fighting against rape accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal.

Earlier, she had also approached the Vatican, the highest seat in the Roman Catholic church hierarchy, against her dismissal from her congregation.

In January this year, she was served the first warning letter by the Superior General of the Congregation, followed by two more in February and March for violating the vow of obedience.

Bishop Mulakkal, a senior member of the Roman Catholic clergy in India, was arrested in 2018 following allegations by a nun that he repeatedly raped and sexually assaulted her at a Kuravilangad convent between 2014 and 2016, a charge that he denies.

The prelate is currently out on bail.