Wayanad: The Vatican has rejected Sister Lucy Kalapurakkal's appeal against her expulsion from Franciscan Clarist Congregation (FCC) for violating rules and participating in public protests demanding the arrest of rape accused bishop Franco Mulakkal in 2018.
The letter with details of the appeal was received at Mananthavady convent in Wayanad, where Sister Lucy still resides (despite the expulsion), on Wednesday.
"The Vatican has not heard my side of the story. They have not made any calls, sent any emails to me. I will continue to fight," Sister Lucy told Onmanorama.
Sister Lucy was removed from the congregation citing her 'failure to give a satisfactory explanation for her lifestyle in violation of the FCC laws.' The Congregation had even issued a letter to her elderly mother to take her back home.
The congregation, under the Roman Catholic Church, had said that Sister Lucy was issued "proper canonical warnings" on numerous occasions, but that she did not show the need for remorse.
In its letter seeking her expulsion on August 5, the congregation had termed as "grave violations" Sister Lucy possessing a driving licence, buying a car, taking a loan for it and publishing a book and spending money without the permission and knowledge of her superiors.
Sister Lucy Kalapurakkal had dismissed some 14 charges levelled against her by the congregation, saying many of them were a "deliberate attempt" to paint her in "bad light".
Sister Lucy made the appeal against her expulsion on August 16 through the Apostolic Nuncio, the Vatican's representative in India.
Sister Lucy still lives in the congregation's convent at Mananthawady in Kerala's Wayanad district.
"I have nowhere to go. I have devoted my entire life to the congregation, where I joined at the age of 17. I am old now. So I have no option but to fight to get a favourable order," she said.
Sister Lucy had earlier told Onmanorama that should Vatican's response be a non-favourable one, she will ask the diocese to give her a secure house in Wayanad.
"I don't want to quit the convent in tears. I want the nuns who oppose me – including the superiors – to accompany me to the new house. I want to part ways with FCC in such a friendly manner. Most of all, I wish to serve the people of Wayanad till my last breath."
Bishop Franco was arrested last year following allegations by a nun that he had repeatedly raped her at the Kuravilangad convent in Kerala's Kottayam district between 2014 and 2016. The bishop, who was the head of Jalandhar diocese then, had denied all the charges.
