Expelled nun told to withdraw police cases on peers, apologise

Kochi: The Franciscan Clarist Congregation (FCC), under the Roman Catholic Church, has issued a letter to expelled nun Lucy Kalappura urging her to withdraw police cases filed against her fellow nuns in her convent in Karakkamala in Wayanad.

In her letter dated October 15, FCC superior general Sr Ann Joseph threatened to sue sister Kalappura if she did not withdraw the case filed against the Mother Superior of FC Convent Karakkamala and render an unconditional apology.

The FCC made the demand in the letter sent to sister Kalappura intimating her about the Vatican's dismissal of her plea challenging the FCC's decision to expel her from the congregation.

The congregation termed as 'a blatant lie' sister Kalappura's allegation that she was locked up in the convent by the Mother Superior of FC Convent Karakkamala on August 19.

"We doubt that your action was based on a criminal conspiracy in order to malign and tarnish the reputation of the FCC before the public, and therefore, we consider your act of alleging wrongful confinement as premeditated having mens rea or criminal intent," the FCC superior general alleged.

"Hence, I, hereby, formally inform you that unless you withdraw the petition and render an unconditional apology regarding this, and unless you have not published that apology in all newspapers and other media outlets which published your allegation, we will be approaching the court of law," the letter said.

"We will file criminal and civil suits under section 499 of Indian Penal Code, namely, demanding the honourable court of law to prosecute you and all those who collaborated with you by publishing your lies in this regard and also demanding compensation for the defamatory imputation," it said.

Sister Kalappura faced the ire of the  church for "failing to give a satisfactory explanation for her lifestyle in violation of FCC laws."

The nun was also accused of participating in protest against rape accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal.

The Kerala police registered an FIR against the convent in Karakkamala at Mananthavady in Wayanad district over the illegal confinement of Sister Kalappura, who had supported the agitation against rape accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal.

The nun had also filed a complaint against a Catholic priest of Mananthavady diocese of using social media platform to 'humiliate' her.

Responding to the FCC's demand, the nun said the church should tender an apology to her for hurting her mentally.

The Vatican this week had dismissed an appeal by the nun, challenging the congregation's decision to expel her for "failing to give a satisfactory explanation for her lifestyle in violation of FCC laws."

The nun said she would take recourse against the decree of the Vatican's Congregation for the Oriental Churches to the Supreme Tribunal of the Signatura Apostolica.

Sister Kalappura was expelled by the congregation in August this year.

The congregation had charged her with publishing poems, purchasing a car and taking part in a protest against a rape accused former bishop of Jalandhar diocese.