By Matters India Reporter
Kochi: An expelled Catholic nun suffered a setback July 14 when the Kerala High Court refused to entertain her plea for protection against eviction from the convent where she currently stays.
Lucy Kalappura was in August 2019 expelled from the Franciscan Clarist Congregation. The Vatican rejected her appeal against dismissal three times that prompted the congregation to order her to vacate the convent in Kerala’s Wayanad district.
“Do not throw me out on the street. I am a practicing nun for 39 years. I do not have anywhere else to go. It is important for me to stay at the convent to continue my position as a nun,” Kalapura told the court as she broke down.
The 56-year-old retired schoolteacher argued her case in person. Earlier, her lawyer withdrew from the case as she does not have enough money to pay the fee.
Kalapura also pleaded before the court, “I am a woman; a nun fighting for justice. It is important for my nunship that I continue in the convent.”
A single bench of Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan, who heard the nun, said the high court’s last year’s order of police protection cannot continue any longer if she intends to continue at the convent.
The judge said if she continues to stay at the convent her conflicts with the staff or authorities there will continue. The congregation had accused her of indiscipline.
“This is for your own safety. You have made serious allegations against the vicar. You have admitted yourself that you are subjected to ill-treatment… It is better to move out. We can give you protection,” the judge added.
Kalapura told the court that she has challenged the eviction order in a civil court and that she wishes to continue staying at the convent until that case is decided. She said the court may withdraw the police protection granted to her, but she should be allowed to stay at the convent as she has no other place to go.
The nun also said that while she had the police protection she had confidence to venture out and whenever she had problems with the convent authorities. The police protecting her had come to her rescue when the convent authorities shut her out of the kitchen or dining area.
The court, however, said the only plea before it was for police protection and it was willing to grant the same as long as she is not staying at the convent.
The convent authorities, during the brief hearing, said the nunnery has its discipline but Sister Kalapura was not willing to follow it.
They also alleged that Sister Kalapura returned to the convent at varying hours in the night which was not permissible.
The convent also pointed out that the civil court’s order granting her protection from arrest is no longer in force as it has expired.
In June, the Vatican had rejected Sister Kalapura’s third appeal of against the decision of the congregation to expel her for “failing” to provide an explanation for her lifestyle, which allegedly violated church rules.
The congregation expelled Sister Kalapura in August 2019 after she joined a protest by members of the Missionaries of Jesus Congregation seeking the arrest of Bishop Franco Mulakkal, accused of raping a nun.
The congregation, in its notice, had termed as “grave violations” Sister Kalapura possessing a driving license, buying a car, taking a loan for it and publishing a book and spending money without the permission and knowledge of her superiors. The Vatican had ratified the decision.
The nun, however, had denied the charges leveled against, saying many of them were a “deliberate attempt to paint her in bad light.”
The congregation has argued that her continued stay at the convent and presence of police was troubling others at the convent.
In her book titled Karthavinte Namathil (In the name of Christ), she alleged sexual abuse and assaults in convents and seminaries. She called for institutional reforms to curb this.
She also alleged in the book that she also had faced sexual assault attempts at least four times and said many nuns easily succumb to intimidation.
The church has rejected the charges.