Catholic women urge CRI to probe novice’s mysterious death

By Jose Kavi

New Delhi, June 19, 2020: A group of Catholic women in India has urged the national body of major superiors in the country to conduct an independent probe to help unravel the mystery behind the death of a novice nun in a Kerala convent.

“Today is the 43rd day since the young novice Divya met with a tragic end to her life and many questions surrounding her death remain unanswered,” says letter the Sisters In Solidarity (SiS) wrote on June 18 to leaders of the Conference of Religious India (CRI).

The body of 21-year-old Divya P John was found on May 7 in the well of Basilian convent at Paliekkara in Pathanamthitta district.

The congregation and the official Church maintain the death as a case of suicide, but some lay leaders have alleged it was murder.

To give credence to their allegation, the head of Kerala police’s Crime Branch cell on May 21 rejected the findings of his own department’s preliminary probe that found no foul play in the death. Tomin J Thachankary, Additional Director General of Police who is a Catholic, then sought several clarifications in the probe team’s report.

This prompted the Sisters In Solidarity on June 1 urge Cardinal Baselios Mar Cleemis, head of the Syro-Malankara Church, to condcut an impartial enquiry into John’s death. The Basilian Sister, a 99-year-old Italian congregation, functions in India under the Catholic Oriental rite.

“In these times of growing mistrust, it becomes extremely important that the Church authorities seize the moment and initiate an impartial enquiry which will bring out the true facts in a transparent and ethical manner,” the group wrote to.

In their letter to CRI, the women point out that John’s case was the latest among some 20 unnatural deaths of nuns India reported in the past 33 years

“Why do such deaths happen? This is a question that the CRI should address in all sincerity and objectivity. Indifference or silence out of fear in such situations would make us accomplices in the crime,” warns the letter signed by eight nuns, seven lay women and two women’s groups. It was endorsed by 95 priests and nuns.

Their letter to CRI says, “It is high time the leadership of the Conference of Religious India woke up to this situation and put in place procedures or practical guidelines so as to prevent such deaths from taking place.”

The group stresses the need to address such deaths in “transparent manner” since at stake are the “credibility of the Church as an institution that has a moral significance and liberative mission in our society.”

It regrets that the Church’s handling of nuns’ mysterious death in “non-transparent” manner shrouded in secrecy has brought Religious life under much scrutiny, risking the loss of their credibility in society.

The group also points out that the case Sister Abhaya, whose body was found in another convent well 28 years ago, “continues to be mysteriously unresolved to date.”

According to the women, John’s death “is also shrouded in mystery, raising many critical questions about Religious life at large.”

The women assert that an independent probe by the CRI has become “imperative so that there are no more “Abhayas” or “Divyas” in our Church and also for safeguarding the integrity of Religious life particularly of women Religious in this country.”

The text of the letter:

Sisters In Solidarity
June 18, 2020
From
Sisters In Solidarity, sistersinsolidarity219@gmail.com
To
Bro. T. Amalan FSC – CRI president,
Sr. Rose Celine BS – CRI Sisters’ Section President,
Fr. George Panthanmackel MSFS – CRI Priests’ Section President,
Fr. Joe Mannath SDB – CRI National Secretary,
Bro. P.J. George SG – CRI Brothers’ Section Vice President,
Bro. T. Antony Raj SHJ – CRI Brothers’ Section Secretary & Treasurer,
Sr. Doris D’Souza AC – CRI Sisters’ Section Vice President,
Sr. Therese Meera RGS- CRI Sisters’ Section Secretary,
Fr. Biju Vadakkel CMI – CRI Priests’ Section Vice President,
Fr. A. J. Mathew OFMCap – CRI Priests’ Section Secretary & Treasurer,
Fr. Sebastian Thundathikunnel VC, KCMS President

Dear Sisters, Brothers and Fathers of CRI leadership,
Each of you has received a copy of the letter from Sisters in Solidarity to Cardinal Cleemis addressing our deep concerns about the increasing unnatural deaths taking place in Convents.

The death of Basilean sisters’ novice Divya P. John being the latest in the occurrence of such unfortunate events, it is high time that the leadership of the Conference of Religious India woke up to this situation and put in place procedures/practical guidelines so as to prevent such deaths from taking place. If any such untoward events do happen, they need to be addressed in a transparent manner without putting at stake the credibility of the Church as an institution that has a moral significance and liberative mission in our society. Dealing with such serious matters pertaining to the life of women Religious in a non-transparent manner shrouded in secrecy has brought Religious life under much scrutiny, risking the loss of their credibility in Society.

Today is the 43rd day since the young novice Divya met with a tragic end to her life and many questions surrounding her death remain unanswered.

1. If it was an accident, why has there been so much negligence that a young girl could fall into the well so easily in the middle of the day and why was her body taken to the Church hospital instead of the Govt. hospital that was closer to the convent?

2. If Divya’s death was a suicide, who or what has caused it? The possibility of a suicide raises more questions about convent life and formation that needs to be addressed with a sense of greater urgency.

The situation is extremely grave, given the fact that the Additional Director General of Police, Crime Branch, has rejected his agency’s report that there was no foul play in her death. In this context, we demand an independent and impartial enquiry into the cause of her death.

As in the case of Sr. Abhaya, whose body was found in the convent well in the wee hours of a morning 28 years ago and the case continues to be mysteriously unresolved to date, Divya’s death is also shrouded in mystery, raising many critical questions about Religious life at large.

This situation is more alarming as it is reported that there have been around 20 such unnatural deaths of nuns over the last 33 years in India. Why do such deaths happen? This is a question that the CRI should address in all sincerity and objectivity. Indifference or silence out of fear in such situations would make us accomplices in the crime.

We hope that the CRI leadership will intervene in this case with a sense of urgency. We are happy that Fr AJ Mathew OFM Cap, Secretary& Treasurer to CRI Priests’ Section has replied to our earlier mail and expressed his willingness to take up this issue with the NCRI leadership. We hope that the Basilean Congregational leadership and the CRI leaders at the national and regional levels would take cognizance of the gravity of the situation and initiate immediate steps to address it.

This is imperative so that there are no more “Abhayas” or “Divyas” in our Church and also for safeguarding the integrity of Religious life particularly of women Religious in this country.

Awaiting your proactive and bold interventions in the interest of justice,
Sisters in Solidarity,

Adv. Sandhya George, sandhyageorge@yahoo.com
Adv. Sr. Julie George SSpS, Streevani, FORUM,* julierosegeorge@gmail.com
Aleyamma Vijayan, aleyamma.vijayan@gmail.com
Anita Cheria, IWTF*, Network of Women in Media India (NWMI), anita@openspace.org.in
Brinelle Elizabeth D’Souza, Voices Against Sexual Abuse in the Church (VASAC), IWTF, brinelledsouza@gmail.com
Corrine Kumar, Vimochana, eltaller.international@gmail.com
Dr. Astrid Lobo-Gajiwala, Satyashodak, IWTF, asklobog@gmail.com
Dr. Kochurani Abraham, IWTF, kochuabraham@gmail.com
Raynah Braganza Passanha, IWTF, raynahbraganzapassanah@gmail.com
Sr. Annie Jaise, CMC, FORUM, sraanijaise2017@gmail.com
Sr. Anupama M.J., 27june27.2018@gmail.com
Sr. Clare Marie Therese ICM, IWTF, claremtherese1@gmail.com
Sr. Jaisa Antony SSpS, Streevani, jaisaantony@yahoo.co.in
Sr. Manju Kulapuram SCSC, FORUM, IWTF, manjukulapuram@yahoo.com
Virginia Saldanha, IWTF, womynvs@gmail.com
*IWTF – Indian Women Theologians Forum
*FORUM- Forum for Justice & Peace

Endorsed by

1. Sr. Magy Allessu DHM, Provincial Superior, President, WRCRI
2. Fr. Peter Jayakanthan SSS, Provincial Superior, Vice President, WRCRI
3. Sr. Rita Dora FMA, Provincial Superior, Secretary, WRCRI
4. Sr. Amrita Elavatingal SHM, Provincial Superior, Treasurer, WRCRI
5. Sr. C.T. Tresa FMM, Provincial Superior, Executive Committee Member, WRCRI
6. Fr. Cleophas Braganza SDB, Executive Secretary, WRCRI
7. Sr. Josemary Keelath FDCC, Provincial Superior, Extended Executive Committee Member, WRCRI
8. Sr. Ranjana Carval FS, Provincial Superior, Extended Executive Committee Member, WRCRI
9. Sr. Kiran CJ, Provincial Superior, Patna, Bihar
10. Sr. Venita Fernandes, FC, Provincial Superior, Mumbai
11. Adv. Sr. Babita MMS, Delhi
12. Adv. Sr. Flory Ritinha Menezes SCC, Maharashtra
13. Adv. Sr. Lissy Joseph SCCG, Telangana
14. Adv. Sr. Sunita CJ, Uttar Pradesh
15. Adv. Sr. Jessy Kurian SAP, Delhi
16. Adv. Bro. K J Markose SG, Jharkhand
17. Br. K. Vincent Vijayakumar SJ, Maharashtra
18. Br. Xavier Amal SJ, Andhra
19. Bro. Jacob Panjikaran SG, Jharkhand
20. Bro. MK Devassy, Tripura
21. Bro. Varghese Thecknath SG, Telangana
22. Dr. Sr. Pauline Chakkalakal, DSP, Maharashtra
23. Fr. Abe Puthumana SJ, Bihar
24. Fr. A. Stanley Amirtharaj SJ, Telangana
25. Fr. Ajaya Kumar Singh, Odisha
26. Fr. Anand Mathew IMS, Uttar Pradesh
27. Fr. Anthony Kondaveetil SJ, Jharkhand
28. Fr. AXJ. Bosco SJ, Andhra
29. Fr. Cedric Prakash SJ, Gujarat
30. Fr. George Stephan SJ, Uttar Pradesh
31. Fr. IFS. Jeyaraj SJ, Andhra
32. Fr. Jacob Peenikaparambil CMI, Madhya Pradesh
33. Fr. John Vattamattom SVD, Telangana
34. Fr. Joseph M.T. SVD, Maharashtra
35. Fr. Joseph Mattam SJ, Gujarat
36. Fr. Neeti Bhai IMS, Utter Pradesh
37. Fr. Paul Vishal SJ, Maharashtra
38. Fr. Peter Daniel SJ, Andhra
39. Fr. Philip Manthara SJ, Bihar
40. Fr. PM Antony SJ, Jharkhand
41. Fr. Rasal SVD, Odisha
42. Fr. Rex Angelo SJ, Andhra
43. Fr. S. Emmanuel SJ, Tamilnadu
44. Fr. Showri palanati SJ, Andhra
45. Fr. Stanislaus Alla SJ, Delhi
46. Fr. TK John SJ, Delhi
47. Fr. Varghese Manimala OFM Cap, Andhra
48. Fr. Victor Emmanuel SJ, Andhra
49. Sr. Agnes Almeida DHM, Gujarat
50. Sr. Amala SND, Jharkhand
51. Sr. Ammini Pushpam SJT, Jharkhand
52. Sr. Ancy, CJ, Bihar
53. Sr. Anna SJC, Jharkhand
54. Sr. Cassandra MCJ Meghalaya
55. Sr. Catherine Gonsalves, FdCC, Maharashtra
56. Sr. Clara Mendonca BS, Meghalaya
57. Sr. Clera Michael Gonsalves DHM, Maharashtra
58. Sr. Dorothy Fernades PBVM, Bihar
59. Sr. Evelyn Monteiro SCC, Maharashtra
60. Sr. Florine ICM, Bihar
61. Sr. Gyani Tirkey, Chhattisgarh
62. Sr. Joel SCN, Jharkhand
63. Sr. Julia George OSU, Jharkhand
64. Sr. Justine SJA, Odisha
65. Sr. Jyoti SMMI, Bihar
66. Sr. Lancia Rodrigues PBVM, Goa
67. Sr. Leena SCN, Bihar
68. Sr. Lucy Kurien SCC, Maharashtra
69. Sr. Mary James MCJ, Gujarat
70. Sr. Margaret Gonsalves, Maharashtra
71. Sr. Mercy Francis MMS, Bihar
72. Sr. Mercy Mathew ICM, Kerala
73. Sr. Merin SOM, Assam
74. Sr. Moksha, FMA, Maharashtra
75. Sr. Mudita Menona Sodder RSCJ, Maharashtra
76. Sr. Philo Thomas RA, Maharashtra
77. Sr. Philomena D’Souza FMA, Maharashtra
78. Sr. Poonam CJ, Bihar
79. Sr. Prabha OLP, Uttar Pradesh
80. Sr. Rosaline Pereira, FMA, Maharashtra
81. Sr. Rosamma John, ICM, Maharashtra
82. Sr. Rosaria RJM, Assam
83. Sr. Roselyn SCN, Bihar
84. Sr. Sabina Pathrose RGS, Maharashtra
85. Sr. Santana Pereira FMA, Maharashtra
86. Sr. Shanti Picardo FC, W. Bengal
87. Sr. Shanti RSCJ, Maharashtra
88. Sr. Sheryl Thomas SJL, Assam
89. Sr. Sophie RSCJ, Maharashtra
90. Sr. Stella Kujur MCJ, Jharkhand
91. Sr. Sudha CJ, Bihar
92. Sr. Sujita SND, Bihar
93. Sr. Valsa MMS, Tamilnadu
94. Sr. Veena SHM, Uttar Pradesh
95. Sr.Valsa Thayil RGS, Kerala

CC:
1. Superior General, Casa Generalizia, Suore Basiliane, Italia
2. M. Alma John (SB), Delegate in India, Basilian Sisters, Thiruvalla