Kerala HC declines to ban dismissed nun's autobiography

Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Wednesday declined to ban the dismissed nun, Sister Lucy Kalapurakkal's autobiography titled "Karthavinte Namethil (In the name of Christ)".

The high court, which heard the petition filed by Sister Lisiya Joseph seeking a ban on the book, said if the petitioner has any complaints about the contents, she can approach the appropriate authority.

Sister Lucy, who belonged to the Franciscan Clarist Congregation (FCC), was in August dismissed from the order for disobeying church authorities, as she had supported the nuns' strike in the state last year, demanding the arrest of rape-accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal, who headed the Roman Catholic Diocese in Jalandhar.

Mulakkal was later arrested and is now out on bail and the trial in the case is all set to start.

Since then, Sister Lucy has been speaking out against the church authorities and in her book, she speaks about the sexual abuse and harassment that nuns silently undergo.

The book, which is published by DC Books, is to be officially released on next Tuesday and hence the petitioner wanted the court to ban the book as it shows the nuns, Church and the laity in poor light.

Veteran seven time legislator P.C. George, however, slammed the former nun for her book, and asked her why she had not complained when the incidents took place.