By Matters India Reporter
Kottayam, Dec 1, 2019: Sister Lucy Kalappura, who was expelled from the Franciscan Clarist Congregation, has written her autobiography that recounts sexual abuses and aberrations prevalent in convents.
Sister Kalappura, who has appealed to the Vatican for reconsider her expulsion, is among a few nuns who stood up against the alleged sexual atrocities of rape-accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal of Jalandhar.
The congregation reported acted against her after she took part in a protest in September last year seeking Bishop Mulakkal’s arrest.
Sister Kalappura’s book, with 36 chapters, will be out in the first week of December.
The instances of sexual abuse by priests Sister Kalappura recounts in the book are similar to incidents narrated in the autobiography of Sister Jesme, a former nun, titled, ‘Amen: An autobiography of a nun.’
The book talks about consensual sexual relationships between priests and nuns in convents, and misuse of positions by priests and bishops to sexually abuse the nuns. Sister Lucy further writes that there are also cases where young nuns are subjected to homosexuality in convents by senior nuns
The nun narrates her life experiences and talks about sexual abuse and harassment of nuns in the book titled ‘Karthaavinte Naamathil (In The Name of The Lord)’.
According to the reports, the book reveals how Sister Lucy was a silent witness to many incidents where nuns have tried to give expression to their sexual desires. In the book, Sister Kalappura reveals that many nuns have ‘unholy’ relationships with priests who are in authority and added that the priests encourage such relationships.
She writes that she has heard of instances where priests have sexual relationships with nuns.
The book also narrates how priests try to abuse nuns and young girls. Narrating an incident, she said once she had asked a friend’s daughter to approach a priest to clear a few doubts with regard to her studies.
However, the priest had allegedly indulged in sexual harassment with the girl on the pretext of helping the young girl. The girl was shocked by the priest’s conversation and complained to her mother. The priest was forced to apologize for his behavior, Sister Kalappura writes in her book.
She further writes in her book stating that one of her fellow nuns told her that a priest abused her inside a church. Sister Kalappura writes about the abuse young nuns face from priests and elder nuns. Further, she claims that homosexuality is rampant among nuns and priests.
Fighting the mental dilemma, nun victims have to silently carry these crosses within the four walls of their convents. They are also constantly stalked by so-called ‘counselors’ who exploit their predicament, she adds.
In narrating another incident, she says, “There used to be a priest who taught at a college and resided near a convent. He used to have a room for himself at the convent. The priest, who used to conduct counseling on safe sexual practices, did not restrict himself to mere counseling as far as the nuns were concerned. Fed up with his “practical” sessions, one of the nuns complained to her friend. But he too was helpless. The torture ended only when he retired and left the place.”
“The experiences I know of, that some of my sisters have been through, are horrendous. I am aware of some convents, where young novice nuns are sent to priests for their ‘pleasure’ as a matter of practice. They were made to pose nude for the priests for hours. They wouldn’t be permitted to leave even when they plead,” writes the nun in the book.
Bishop Mulakkal was accused of raping a 44-year-old nun in a convent in Kuravilangad in May 2014 and subsequent sexual exploitations afterward. The nun had registered a complaint on June 27, 2018, and has also claimed that despite her complaints, the Church took no action on the bishop.