By Jose Kavi
New Delhi, Jan 21, 2022: The head of India’s more than 125,000 Catholic religious has urged Cardinal Oswald Gracias to reach out to the survivor nun and her supporters in the recently concluded rape case.
“While these are issues that require lengthy discussions and procedure, we would like the Church authorities to at least now, try and reach out to the survivor and her companions and offer support to them in whatever way possible, including financial, spiritual and psychological,” says a letter Apostolic Carmel Sister Mary Nirmalini wrote to the cardinal, who is the president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India.
Sister Nirmalini, the president of the Conference of Religious India (CRI), sent the January 20 letter nearly a week after a court in Kerala, southern India, acquitted Bishop Franco Mulakkal of Jalandhar in the historic nun rape case.
Additional District and Sessions Court Judge G. Gopakumar January 14 said the prosecution had failed to prove the charges against the bishop.
The survivor, a former superior general of the Missionaries of Jesus, a Jalandhar diocesan congregation, had in June 2018 accused Bishop Mulakkal of raping her 13 times between 2014 and 2016.
The court that heard 39 prosecution and five defense witnesses dismissed the survivor’s allegation as unreliable citing several discrepancies in her statement.
“When it is not feasible to separate truth from falsehood, when grain and chaff are inextricably mixed up, the only available course is to discard the evidence in toto,” said Judge Gopakumar in his verdict.
“In the said circumstances, this court is unable to place reliance on the solitary testimony of a rape victim and to hold the accused guilty of the offences charged against him. I accordingly acquit the accused of the offences,” the judge added.
Sister Nirmalini, who also heads the CRI women section, says she wrote the letter “with a heavy heart as I have been inundated with so many phone calls from both religious men and women as well as lay women from around India” after the verdict.
“The issue here is not that most religious women are completely taken aback with a totally unexpected verdict against the sisters, but a section of the clergy and people have been celebrating the verdict as a victory for the Church,” the CRI president laments.
She points out that from the beginning of the case, the victim and her companions were subjected to all kinds of innuendos and insults. Hardly any Church authorities supported them, she says.
“How come a bishop who is accused of raping is part of the Church and the victim along with her supporters are not? In our opinion this is shameful. In addition most of the sisters, including me, express a complete disbelief and shock at the verdict in the said case where sisters have been apparently denied justice.”
Similar questions were raised earlier by the Sisters in Solidarity, a national forum of Catholic women, both religious and lay.
Sister Nirmalini says women religious in India express their solidarity with “the victim survivor and her companions who have walked with the victim with lot of courage, dignity and determination in their fight for justice.”
The letter, endorsed by all officials of the CRI women section, commends the “prophetic role” of the survivor’s supporter who raised their voice against “an unjust and appalling system, within the Church.”
The letter regrets that nobody had paid attention to the victim when she approached several Church authorities before being forced to go public and to the court to seek justice.
“Her companion sisters had the grit to fight the power and might of Bishop Franco. The sisters, with no financial backing or support from the Church, went through their dignity being stripped as women through many ways in which power was being wielded against them,” says the letter, which many view as the first response of the CRI since the case went to the court.
Sister Nirmalini expressed happiness that the victim and the prosecution plan to appeal against the verdict in the higher court as they feel that justice has been denied to them.
“Whatever the outcome of their appeal in the higher court, our serious concern now is, if the Church has a forum where religious women who suffer sexual abuse from their bosses, be they priests or bishops, can present their cases and where they would be heard sympathetically.”
The CRI president draws the attention of the cardinal, who is among the top advisers of Pope Francis, to the fact that women religious have no power or jurisdiction in the Church, even though they render “incredible service in society and are the face of the Church.”
“Where do we go? Should all religious women knock the doors of the court for justice? We really wonder if this will make other women ever step forward or would leave them with no choice but to suffer in silence,” the letter wonders.
The text of the letter
His Eminence Oswald Gracias,
Archbishop of Bombay,
President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India, Bombay
Date: 20th January 2022
Your Eminence Oswald Cardinal Gracias,
I am writing to you and copying the letter to other Church dignitaries in my capacity as the new president of the women’s section of the CRI as well as the newly elected National CRI President.
I write this mail with a heavy heart as I have been inundated with so many phone calls from both religious men and women as well as lay women from around India after the verdict in Franco Mulakkal’s case last week, in which he has been acquitted.
The issue here is not that most religious women are completely taken aback with a totally unexpected verdict against the sisters, but a section of the clergy and people have been celebrating the verdict as a victory for the Church. Right from the beginning of the case, the victim sister and her companions were subjected to all kinds of innuendos and insults. Hardly any Church authorities supported them. How come a bishop who is accused of raping is part of the Church and the victim along with her supporters are not? In our opinion this is shameful. In addition most of the sisters, including me, express a complete disbelief and shock at the verdict in the said case where sisters have been apparently denied justice.
As women religious we express our solidarity with the victim survivor and her companions who have walked with the victim with lot of courage, dignity and determination in their fight for justice.
It is indeed commendable that they played a prophetic role by raising their voice against an unjust and appalling system, within the Church. Nobody paid any attention to the victim who approached several Church authorities before she was made to go public and to the court to seek justice. Her companion sisters had the grit to fight the power and might of Bishop Franco. The sisters with no financial backing or support from the Church, went through their dignity being stripped as women through many ways in which power was being wielded against them.
I am told that the victim and the prosecution together are going to appeal against the verdict in the higher court as they feel that justice has been denied to them. I have been reading many analytical articles on the verdict.
Whatever the outcome of their appeal in the higher court, our serious concern now is, if the Church has a forum where religious women who suffer sexual abuse from their bosses, be they priests or bishops, can present their cases and where they would be heard sympathetically. As you know well, while the religious women are rendering incredible service in society and are the face of the Church, we have no power or jurisdiction. Where do we go? Should all religious women knock the doors of the Court for justice? We really wonder if this will make other women ever step forward or would leave them with no choice but to suffer in silence.
While these are issues that require lengthy discussions and procedure, we would like the Church authorities to at least now, try and reach out to the survivor and her companions and offer support to them in whatever way possible, including financial, spiritual and psychological.
Thanking you in advance for your attention and with regards and prayers
Sr. M. Nirmalini A.C. CRI National President
Sr Teresa Kandlakunta JMJ Vice President, CRI Women’s Section
Sr. Norah SJC Secretary, CRI Women’s Section
Sr. Ann Jose CSST Treasurer, CRI Women’s Section
Sr. Delphinal Stella Baltazar FMM Executive Member, CRI Women’s Section
Sr Dr. Soosaamma CTC Executive Member, CRI Women’s Section
Sr. Arokia Mary SAT Executive Member, CRI Women’s Section
It is sad that even after the verdict in the court, people still want Bishop Franco to be published. That sr complained, he was arrested, put in jail, case was investigated thoroughly, but still you are surprised at the outcome. Do you think that if there was little bit of evidence, the court would have set him free? Such was not the atmosphere in Kerala. To paint that all priests are rapists and consider nuns as holy and always a victim is not good and often not the reality.
Open letter to Flavia Agnes
Forget rape, prove an inappropriate touch
Dear Ms Flavia Agnes,
Though I subscribe to the Indian Express, where I spent many years as Senior Editor, I read your piece entitled “The more they remain same: Verdict that acquits former bishop is based on a regressive reading of law” (January 18) only this morning. Hence the delayed response.
I hope you remember me. We were panelists on a TV Today debate, anchored by Rajdeep Sardesai, soon after the victim filed a rape case against Bishop Franco Mulakkal. You argued that she was subjected to unnatural sex and she sustained an injury in her anal region, as found out by the doctor.
I immediately reminded you that she was checked by the doctor more than a year after the last incident of rape. I also asked you, “how long will such an injury mark remain? For years?”. You had no answer to my question.
You have not changed a wee bit is clear from your article. I also read the 289-page verdict, word by word. Before arguing further, let me mention that if you are able to produce one bit of evidence of rape or intention to rape, I will accept your argument that he was guilty.
Truth has one great advantage. If you tell the truth, you can tell it to anyone and at any time. There may be minor discrepancies but the essential truth will remain the same.
In the case of a lie, it is difficult to sustain it. However brilliantly you present a lie, it cannot countenance the truth. As a lawyer, I am sure, you know this.
That is what happened to the lie the victim said that she was raped 13 times in two years. You have quoted in your article all the shameful and unprintable things the bishop supposedly did to the victim.
I do not want to hear any of that. Let her prove that he touched her, not raped her, inappropriately, and I will side with her and you. The headline “The more they remain same” is not at all true. Now a victim’s statement that a person raped her is sufficient to indict the man. She does not have to show any proof.
Recently in Delhi, a woman filed a rape case against a man and took Rs 1.5 lakh from him. When she pestered him again, he went to the police. Then it transpired that she had filed such complaints against seven repeat seven men!
That is why the Supreme Court and other courts have in their abundant wisdom ruled that the victim should be truthful and consistent in her stand. There should be no scope to doubt the veracity of her statement.
In the judgement you claim to have read, Judge G. Gopakumar, has quoted several judgements to say that he would have relied on her statement if she was truthful.
In this case, none of the witnesses turned hostile. Yet, not one could produce a shred of evidence against the bishop, other than the victim’s statement. Why not even one woman came forward to corroborate what she claimed? Because truth was not on her side.
You did not mention the fact that hours (not days or weeks or months or years) after the FIRST rape, graphic details of which you gave in your article, she accompanied the bishop in his car to her relative’s home for the first communion service of her nephew (niece). She was seen happily serving food to the bishop. She could have stayed in her relative’s house but she came back to the nunnery with him in his car.
Forget her nun-hood, which woman would behave in this manner? Have you ever come across such a rape victim in your long career? Recently, a mentally challenged girl was raped. When she was brought before the judge, she made one request to him.
She wanted to learn Karate. Why, asked the judge. She answered, “I want to punch the man”. Here the victim happily serves food to the bishop. What a contrast!
I am sure you know she remembered all the 13 days. Those were the days the bishop visited the nunnery as per the log book. Alas, on two days, though he visited the nunnery, he stayed elsewhere. The poor victim included those two days also among the 13 days he “raped”. That is the problem with falsehood. It is difficult to sustain a lie.
You point out that the victim lifted his bag and ironed his cassock. Whenever any guest comes to my house, I help the person lift his luggage into my house. I will also iron my guest’s cloth, if necessary. It is part of the concept of atithi devo bhava! It does not prove any unequal relationship. By the way, the victim was once the head of the congregation when the bishop was just a priest.
She says she was raped on 13 days in two years. And on most of those days, she was seen travelling happily with the bishop. She did not tell anyone that she was raped. Neither to her relatives or friends or fellow nuns.
She began speaking about rape only after her cousin gave a written complaint to the congregation that she had an affair with her husband.
You mention that it was a fake complaint but she never disputed that it was her signature and in her own handwriting. She never withdrew the complaint, as the judgement notes. The victim claimed that she had a mental problem and that she had the habit of making such wild complaints.
Which woman in the world would make such allegations against her own cousin who is a nun? Why did you not mention the fact that the woman’s husband came to Kerala and stayed at the nunnery for a few days ostensibly to attend a prayer meeting? Because the truth does not fit into your narrative.
You mention about penetration etc and says why the judge gave importance to it. For the same reason that the victim tried to erase it from the medical report. The fact is she did not tell the truth to anyone. And the truth is that there was no rape at any time.
You do not mention the fact that she could have nailed the bishop if she had produced her mobile phone to which he allegedly sent obnoxious, sexy messages at night and shown the same to the judge. One such message and I would not have have been writing this letter to you.
She told the court that she transferred everything into her computer? Where is the computer? She got the hard disk removed and there is a new hard disk. In other words, she destroyed both the phone and the computer disk, which were given to the scrap dealer. So much for honesty!
After 13 “rapes”, she writes a friendly letter to the Bishop inquiring about his health in reverential terms and requesting him to edit an article she wrote on the founder of her congregation, the late Bishop Symphorian Keeprath
And you have wasted four columns of the Indian Express to defend such a liar. Even now it is not too late. Show me one proof that the bishop touched her inappropriately. I will be with you, not the bishop.
Yours etc
ajphilip@gmail.com
Exactly!
The pity is that nobody understand the power equation in the church hierarchy. Also the disadvantage being a female in a male dominated church. The harassment and asexual exploitation of Nuns are now quite rampant. Very few of the victims come out to speak about it in public. They are isolated and further harassed. It is shocking to see the insensitive laity who always close their eyes towards the injustice in the church.
I concur with the president of the CRI “Whatever the outcome of their appeal in the higher court, our serious concern now is, if the Church has a forum where religious women who suffer sexual abuse from their bosses, be they priests or bishops, can present their cases and where they would be heard sympathetically.”
We need such fora at Diocesan, regional and national level similar to the provisions of the 2013 legislative act that seeks to protect women from sexual harassment at their place of work.
Well stated. They deserve to be expelled. They don’t bring g doqries and come to our CHURCHES so why do they spend our money at Will. EXpwll them indeed. The Hierarchy have proved that they wasted lakes of our money to defend the guilty sodomiser instead of defrocking him. With such a display why should finances be given to them to blow up and terrorise a sodomised child and his traumatized family. Expell them all.
Kindly respect the verdict given by the Indian judiciary. The same judiciary had announced the verdict on Sr. Abaya case though some lacuna existed. But the same verdict surpassed all such rumours. Let us be United in one aspect rather than getting divided on many aspects and playing a false sympathy after the verdict is passed
Our Catholic Church does not need a single enemy from the outside by way of political parties et al. Our enemies are home grown and reared to Preach and not Practise!! Let us not blame anyone for destroying our Church but our Hierarchy.
Again for those who believe that the Rapist is NOT GUILTY and the nun is GUILTY.
1. Right in the very beginning when the nun pointed out that this Rapist raped her the first time on May 14 or some such date, the Rapist denied he was present and insisted he was in another place. To his bad luck the convent register said that he had stayed overnight in the convent.
2. He then appealed to the HC to quash the matter. WHY???? IF HE WERE NOT GUILTY????
3. Why does our highest in the Church allow men to sleep in convents???? Hasnt he had enough experiences of Rape & Sodomy committed right, left & centre???? Where is he hiding now??? He & his counterpart should start another Rosary in favour of the Judgement & against the nun!!!
We should fight for the system change in the church, Jesus will never like to have this dirty politics church
How could the PINK CAP Rush to rescue the Guilty Rapist. They don’t shock us they shame us. Is there no CANON LAW for Rapist and Sodomisers amongst the Clergy??? WHY are Sodomisers transferred instead of being defocked? Is the heirachy afraid of being exposed of their misdeeds so they let Rapist and Sodomisers go scot free to pray on NEW INNOCENTS ? Enough is Enough and the Heirachy need to understand that they have brought DISGRACE to the Catholics and the Indian Church not just at a National level but Internationally too.
If the PINK CAPS think that it is easy for a RAPE NUN or any RAPE Women to speak about the Trauma of being Raped then they need to give it a rethink. Again the PINK CAP running to the rescue of the Rapist Bishop thereby terrorizing traumatizing nun speaks volumes for what they stand for.
What is the compensation that the CARDINAL will pay to the SODMISED boy and his family for putting them through a nightmare experience in the day time, even forcing them to have to leave their home to escape the terror unleashed on them by supporters of the Cassocks. If the courts could see the innocence of the Sodomised boy how could the CARDINAL not have any compassion when confronted with the boy who bleed.
Wonder what Pope Francis and the Vatican would make out as a settlement to the Sodomised boy n his Family? Wonder what price tag would be given to the boy who now suffers from syphilis. They have not just traumatized a little boy but have ensured his life is doomed forever. We can just stop to wonder whether the innocence of the Raped Nun will receive true justice. We are sure that this battle which is now a global matter will indeed receive the justice it deserves. Why was the Rapist Bishop not defrocked when he was held guilty by those investigating the case.
Your understanding of the whole issue is astounding. Do you know what it means to be raped? Is it that easy to come out especially when the person in question is a powerful one. The trauma and shock that the survivor suffers. How can you be so naive and insensitive?
SEX ABUSE AND SEMINARY FORMATION:
I am writing this not just a fire fighter response to specific issue but rather to go into the “why” of such issues. This has been my cry for several times. But who bothers! Good boys and Girls come into the seminary and convents in search of God experience with inner yearning but during the formation period, many seem to get dissipated. whom to blame?
LACK OF SPIRITUAL FORMATION: The Institutional Church is more concerned about Dogma than Spirituality. The whole seminary formation is focused on studies, philosophy, and theology. The one who sits inside the seminary 24 hours is more valued than the one who goes around to the villages and slums. The one who gets more marks is regarded as more worth than the one who is involved in the daily involvements, interpersonal and inter-social relationships. The priestly formation is almost devoid of an elaborate focus on spiritual. In fact, Spirituality is not even a minor subject.
CENTRALITY OF MONEY AND POWER: Most of the boys or girls entering a seminary or Convent to become a saintly priest or sister is diverted in their attention and focus with excess importance in English, Knowledge, Administrative skills, popularity in crowd etc. The temptation and preparedness for this grows more and more as the years go by. Prayers, retreats, monthly recollections are just like fire fighters. The search for God and involvement into the life of the marginalised is often occasional experience rather than a continuous and well rooted one.
GREEDY ONES DOMINATE? A priest who is stuck with city parishes as Parish priest, Principal of City or town-based schools, Principal of English Medium schools are often considered famous, powerful than the priest serving in remote villages. A priest who owns fat bank balance, four-wheeler, high positions etc are considered more important than the priest who is convinced of the poverty of Jesus, with several limitations. Besides, all these, a priest is also valued for his ethnicity, language group, caste base, Rite, etc. The greedy ones get into power by hook or crook. The prophets continue to be crucified. While we focus on treatment of the sex abuse problem on the periphery, the root cause is kept safely untouched. There is a tendency to go into legal action, and punitive measures. Just transfer, sending far away, dismiss, etc. This will never end the cause. But how long? To how many?
SEX AND MONEY: Sex is closely connected with money and power; Voluntary poverty, commitment to the periphery and union with the powerless Jesus on the cross is closely connected to morality, be it in Religious or secular circle. Christianity is expected to play a prophetic role in wuth anti-worldly mindset. But in fact…
– Nithiya ofm.cap
Let me make it loud & clear that for a Religious female, especially Mother Superior, it is a herculean task to complain to anyone who is higher than her. There is every chsnce of it boomeranging right on her face!! That is the sole reason she confided first in Sr. Lessy who was of another order.
All in this group please note Nuns are subservient to the male hierarchy so they have to take everything lying down literally and figuratively. Cant you guys see that she had to carry the Rapist’s suitcase to his room and iron his cassock????
Besides, he is a living GOLIATH with his money & clout. This nun did not keep quiet for all the rapes of 13 times. She knocked on the doors of many other nuns and priests but everybody was silent. She then approached the Vatican by writing letters. She has receipts to show that the Vatican had received every letter but this approach too didnt help.
Saddled with this pain and added frustration, and also knowing that this Beast will continue to ravage her body, in sheer desperation she approached the police.
For those of you who think and accuse her of having enjoyed all along, you are very sadly mistaken and it appears from your limited information that you have not been following all the steps taken by this poor lady to bring the Creep to book.
The CBCI/CCBI/CRI and other Catholic Institutions remain like “three monkeys”. They live in their own comfort zones. Unless and until the “Lay Movement” becomes strong and takes the initiative to challenge the hierarchy, clerical sex abuses, caste-based discriminations and corruptions will continue to exist in the Holy Roman Catholic Church.
The judgment says
“When it is not feasible to separate truth from falsehood, when grain and chaff are inextricably mixed up, the only available course is to discard the evidence in toto,” said Judge Gopakumar in his verdict. Do we give any credence to the judge or are we to pass a judgment. From the very beginning I was thinking that the whole thing is a mixture of all vices , lies,truth, hatred, immorality, indecision, indifference, eagerness to accuse the other etc.
Even after the judgment I do not know the truth , though as a citizen of India I must accept the judicial pronouncement. As a Christian I believe in the possibility of crime, specially against women, chastity and the like. I believe in the punishment of the guilty I also believe in repentance and in going back as the prodigal son to the Father.
There may be some rules or traditions to regulate the visits and contacts with the nuns in convent and other ladies. If one does not follow any rules ? Once a priest told me during a discussion. “ Mr Thomas, I will never admit a female in my room. If any sister or teacher or any other lady comes to me, I offer chair in the verandah which is open and make conversation…. “
My house is next to a convent where five sisters live. There is only a wall of five feet height that separates us. Once at 11 p.m. we could hear lot of loud talk and some birthday songs etc.. All our neighbours are Hindus They we’re looking from their windows. . I knew it was a birthday party for a priest.
Next day after Mass, I could meet the superior . I told her “ You are sanyasins, The presence of a priest and loud talk and songs at 11 p.m. was a matter of talk for the neighbours. Was it not better , if it was sometime in the evening and without so much of noise ? I say this because there is always a likelihood of misunderstanding about us among Hindus. “ The sister did not agree with me saying “ that was all old time. We are free and there is no bar for such functions ,blah blah…” I said – It is left to you.
Where is mistake …or whether there is anything called right or wrong ? Is there any difference between life in family and life of consecrated women in a convent ? I am confused
My view also is that if the Nun was raped as she says so many times why did she not bring this out the first time and perhaps better justice would have been done
I feel ashamed to hear that a mother General says she is raped 13 times. Is it possible ????? why she allowed to rape her 13 times. Any normal human being will allow????? Her mouths were closed or hands were tied up. Don`t talk nonsense and put down the religious women.
Let CRI officially appeal to Pope to defrock bp Franco. CBCI only will support him and protect him. It is right time for women religious come forward to oust Franco
P.a joseph
I have read a lot on this matter ever since it came to light. Sexuality is a great gift of God that could be easily exploited if one is not self-disciplined, married or unmarried! My simple observation is that ‘it is not a case of rape’ but ‘consensual sex lacking elf-discipline’! The so called victim kept an account of the ‘acts’ they have done together and kept quiet comfortably for two years since it was not forced and when the grapes went savour, began calling the partner ‘satan’! The Old Testament story of blaming the other took first place and why? Perhaps, to self-exohonourate !! Now, Certainly compassion and forgiveness must heal the past and move forward gracefully!
Do something concrete
No crocodile tears
Or lip service
Gherao all bishops houses all over india
For all the men who wonder why women [powerful, educated, enlightened] do not report rape, maybe you need to talk to a few more women …. The power of patriarchy which makes talking about sexual abuse difficult also blames the woman as the cause [temptress, etc]….and dump guilt, shame etc on her if one dares to speak about “SEX” “ABUSE” in public…and then one wonders why the abused didn’t speak of “penile penetration” People [men and women] support the patriarchal system. so a few questions?
1. Who will believe the victim? Armchair judges in every home & institution have already made up their minds! Hence the reports of marital rape are few!
2. Where can the victim go to get shelter, help [legal or otherwise]?
3. How does her reporting affect her? her family? her institution? We are conditioned by society, our education, media, religious sermons to save the face & honor of our husbands, families, institution, Church, priests, etc
4. Does the fact that the evidence was “not enough” mean that the Bishop did not rape her or does it just mean the legal system, the judge need to be questioned when they expect s survivor of abuse who takes time because of the above reasons to garner courage to speak about her pain and shame expect proof, when the Supreme Court has said that in rape the testimony of the victim is the major proof.
No woman my self righteous, doubting thomases, NO WOMAN in her right mind would go public with RAPE unless it really happened….. Take out your blinkers, Put on the compassionate eyes of Christ whom we claim to follow … and let he spirit enlighten your conscience before you condemn and blame the innocent, crucifying Christ again and again and again!
Being inspired by the story of Saint Maria Goretti and other saints how can a nun be submissive to sexual abuses? It is fully crooked up story. CRI try to empower the nuns.
You ‘fail to understand’, and that is the crux of the problem.
The real estate and institutions of the catholic church belong to the lay people,not to the bishops, priests and nuns. Give VRS to all bishops, priests and nuns with a monthly allowance and ask them to vacate the church premises. Make the church corruption free by expelling all the so called religious people.
Study the case, before making statements. I think Sr. is unaware of the specific context in Kerala. In Kerala priests and religious people do more harm to the church than the layman. Sisters should take appropriate steps to strengthen their spiritual life. Earlier, everyone in Kerala believed that it is a real issue, but now we understand that it is cooked up rape case to tarnish the image of the church. Dear Sr. before writing to the head of the Church, you could have visited these sisters and sr Lucy. Study the issue. Save the church.
Oswald should resign as he tried to hide …
Well pointed out.
It may be reachout program
Thanks Sr. Nirmalini and the CRI for your petition to the Church authority. Your boldness in expressing the anguish of the religious Sisters and the laity in unambiguous terms is commendable. You are certainly led by the Spirit. Let the truth prevail.
Thanks for your comment that consoles my understanding to some logical end ! 🙏🏻
Where was the CRI all this time? Why shed crocodile tears now?
I am a person who taught Social Justice for years and have published articles in well-known journals on Gender justice even in the Catholic Church. However, in this particular case going through the court judgement it is obvious that it is a cooked up case with ulterior motives. The pictures of the Vanchi Squire demonstration shows a good number of the demonstrators are girls imported from other towns belonging to a particular religion. I fail to understand how a powerful lady can be sexually exploited for more than two years, not to mention that the complain comes only after another two years under the shadow of the failure of other demands. I wish that we exercise our reason and not only emotions along with a sense of justice for all.
Jacob Kavunkal SVD
For the lay-reader, one hopes one basic fact about this case be explained? A man may be able to rape a woman ONCE. But how does he RAPE the same person over a dozen times without her consent? The person can ABUSE her sexually, but “RAPE”??? The court may have concluded this case in this way thinking that even if the “abuse” took place, it may have taken place (amidst partial or full) consent between TWO ADULTS.
It is true that the Nuns need support at this time. But what we are given to understand is that it was not a rape and she is not a rape survivor. Am I right !! Let us then deal accordingly. Let justice be done with compassion.
Abusers of children and Nuns are pillars of Church but Victims are neglected without any support of Church as well as our community. If the Rape victim is considered as bad element then accused will always remain as rapist in the eyes of people and can not see him as bishop of Church
DEFROCK Franco!!! How do people – religious or otherwise CONTINUE to refer to this RAPIST as Bishop???? As a matter of fact, Oswald Gracias & Agnelo Gracias too should be defrocked for clearly supporting Franco.
Oswald deputed Agnelo immediately to Jallandar when Franco was accused and Agnelo led the rosary by praying for Franco. Arent these aiding & abetting the crime by these acts???
There is not a peep from Oswald about the verdict which clearly indicates who he is supporting?
Tell me how many women would have the gall to come public with a Rape cry??? Women feel ashamed and used, especially those who are holy and nuns!!!
This is a total DISGRACE & SHAME to Oswald Gracious firsr.