By Jose Kavi
New Delhi, June 11, 2022: Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli, apostolic nuncio to India and Nepal, on June 11 said the Vatican has accepted the Indian court decision about Bishop Franco Mulakkal of Jalandhar.
The nuncio, who was on a two-day pastoral visit to Jalandhar, said this June 11 while addressing the priests of the diocese of Jalandhar.
The nuncio said Bishop Mulakkal is an Indian citizen and the Vatican goes by the decision of the local court.
“Accordingly, Bishop Franco [Mulakkal] is innocent and free of all charges. With regards to the future, it is not in my hands but with Rome. Let us wait for it patiently,” Archbishop Girelli told the priests.
The Vatican on September 20, 2018, accepted Bishop Mulakkal’s request to relieve him from his duties until the case was over. It then appointed Bishop Agnelo Gracias as the diocesan administrator.
On January 14 this year, a court in Kerala, southern India, acquitted Bishop Mulakkal in the nun rape case.
Judge G Gopakumar of the Additional Sessions District Court in Kottayam town let the bishop free for want of evidence.
The rape case against the bishop was registered by police in Kerala’s Kottayam district on June 27, 2018.
He was arrested September 21, 2018, and sent to jail in Palai, a town in Kerala’s Kottayam district. However, he was released on bail on October 15, 2018.
The alleged rape survivor, a former superior general of the Missionaries of Jesus, had accused Bishop Mulakkal of subjecting her to sexual abuse at least 13 times between 2014 and 2016.
The nun and the Kerala government have appealed against the verdict in the Kerala High Court, which in turn has issued a notice to Bishop Mulakkal.
Archbishop Girelli visited Jalandhar June 10-11. This was his first visit to diocese after taking over as the envoy of the Pope in India in May 2021.
Bishop Gracias joined priests and nuns in the diocese to welcome the nuncio. He reached the diocesan headquarters at Civil Lines June 10 evening.
During his visit, the Archbishop presided over the prayers at the Sacred Heart Church in Jalandhar and St Mary’s Cathedral in Jalandhar Cantonment. He also visited Trinity College campus and St Pius Church Lamma Pind.
Meanwhile a report in the Indian Express said the nuncio was told that all was not well in Jalandhar diocese. A delegation of the Catholic Union, senior citizens and members of the Diocesan Pastoral Council reportedly met the nuncio June 11 at the Bishop’s House and submitted a memorandum stating their grievances against local officials of the diocese.
They alleged that there is no transparency regarding the working of the officials, and personal interests are getting the better of charity works.
Hostels, coaching institutions, dance schools, sports projects, employment institutions, livelihood, sponsorship and scholarships programs are on the verge of closure, they alleged.
The group also raised the issue of Dalit Christians who continue to face social discrimination. They alleged that the local Church officials were not taking up their matter in a manner it ought to be.
They said that even the nuncio’s visit was not published in ‘Sada Zamana’ – the diocese’s monthly magazine in Punjabi language.
They said that the nuncio’s visit means a lot to the local Church, especially when Punjab is beset with problems of drug menace, gang wars and discrimination against Dalits, among others.
The nuncio’s visit took place a week after a top Sikh leader expressed concern over churches and mosques being built in large numbers in rural Punjab and urged Sikh preachers to reach out and counter this trend of conversion, particularly in the state’s border areas.
“Today, we (the Sikhs) are facing a lot of challenges. Christianity is being spread in Punjab on a large scale to weaken us (Sikhs) religiously. Churches and mosques are being built in large numbers in the villages of Punjab, which is worrisome for us,” Akal Takht (seat of power) acting jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh on June 6 said this during his customary address to an event organized to mark the 38th anniversary of Operation Bluestar at Golden Temple, the holiest Sikh shrine, in Punjab’s Amritsar.
He appealed to Sikh preachers to launch a drive against what he said was a trend of conversion.
The Sikh leader also said the most affected was the border belt.
However, Church leaders have denied the charge.
“This is not true. People have the right to preach any religion. The statement of the Sikh religious leader has not come at a right time. We are all talking about religious harmony in the country. No conversion is taking place,” said Church of North India Bishop Pradeep Samantaroy of Amritsar.
Bishop Gracias too denied the allegation and said, “We don’t convert people. It’s a country where people are free to preach. There is no conversion going on. Only dormant Christians have become active and have started practicing the faith.”
Archbishop Girelli hails from the province Bergamo in Italy. He has worked in the papal diplomatic missions in Cameroon and New Zealand and at the section for general affairs of Vatican Secretariat of State, and in the Apostolic Nunciature to the US where he held the rank of counselor. He also served as the Apostolic Nuncio to various countries before Pope Francis appointed him nuncio to India in March 2021 and to Nepal on September 2021.
It is admirable that the Nuncio visited Jalandhar diocese, met with the clergy and, possibly, the ”Sisters” and others in the diocese. It would be interesting to see if the Nuncio himself or his representatives will make plans to meet with the alleged victim Sisters in Kerala! Pope Francis strongly suggests that the local Church officials meet with the alleged victims. May be some visited but there are no news at all on this front. Leaving aside the legal aspects, it will be very Christian to meet with them formally and listen to their version. Potentially, such a visit can bring a lot more healing in Kerala/Indian Church than mere legal success of one party or the other. Since this case is ‘unique’ in many ways, a visit by a Church official is likely do a lot of good.
But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice. Phil. 1:18.
Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me. 1Cor. 9:16.
Evangelisation doesn’t happen in the comfort zone. The Catholic Church too has a history of Saints martyred for Evangelisation. Had it it not been, we wouldn’t have been christians today. Church in India wouldn’t have existed. We have to take up challenges and risk our lives for Jesus. Church is missionary by its very essence. If I am not going out to fetch souls for Christ then better I not stop someone else who is doing it. The catholic church will reap their fruits later as is the history.
It is shocking to learn that Franco and his supporters have spread the false news that the Vatican has accepted the court’s verdict. What more proof is needed to “de-frock” Franco? Is it not the high time to do so?
The CBCI and CCBI are still keeping silent. Who is there to challenge these? It is clear that CBCI and CCBI, Nuncio and the erring bishops are hand in glove in this matter.
Is there anyone to challenge the Nuncio, CBCI/CCBI and the erring bishops?
I am given to understand that the Nuncio also visited Mysore diocese recently. Even the clergy were unaware of the visit under heavy police bandobast. Pray tell us now who knows the mind of this so-called representative of the Pope? Is he here to exonerate wayward bishops or to build the community of the faithful?
This is turning out to be the theatre of the absurd. First Franco exonerates himself then John Dayal seems to exonerate the Nuncio. I will reiterate what I said earlier that the Nuncio owes the Church in India an explanation for his visit to Franco’s feifdom
If the trial court verdict has been challenged in the high court, the matter becomes sub judicial again. The justice process is incomplete in both God’s court and in the courts of the land. The nuncio as an ambassador of the Holy See understands this.
The Evangelical Christian Church is converting people left right and centre. The Catholic Church only covets people who apply or approach the church to become Catholic. This Catholic Church process takes 2 years. Most of the applicants have to study the Bible and know the faith. Then only they get converted.
Whole the evangelical only dips people in water and calls them christians. The Catholic Punjabis process their cultural faith too and keep following the shri Guru Granth Sahib.
Evangelical Christian conversion must stop absolutely. This is an American agenda.
M.L. Satyan is absolutely right is his observation. CBCI & CCBI are indeed hand in glove with mafias like Franco Mulakkal and K.A. William (a core committee member of the CCBI Migrants Commission) and their ilks like Albert S. (alias S.A. Sakhiyaraj@Albert) who has been facing an ongoing criminal case (Case reference number is CNR: WBNPI50070762018. It is accessible on the website services.ecourts.gov.in) at Barrackpore Criminal Court since 2021. Yet the Archbishop of Calcutta has retained him as Parish Priest of St Ignatius Church, Ekbalpore, Kolkata and Secretary of St Loyola High School, Kidderpore Kolkata. He has been minting money from the school at the expense of old teachers by harassing them with pay cuts, delayed payment of salary and termination of job. He even asked one parish worker (who was orally terminated from her job due to illness during Covid times) that she should send her college-going daughter to work for him. The Archbishop is fully aware of this when the lady met him to share her agony. When parishioners asked Albert about the case, he hoodwinked them by telling he was going to the court on Archbishop’s instructions! Priesthood and Nunhood is no more a Vocation to serve but a stepping stone to power and material gains!
In all this game that is being played, there is a very dramatic role of abuse of power, money, popularity and prestige..
Franco needs to be true and take responsibility for his actions. There’s so much of counter witness to Jesus and his mission. In these difficult and challenging times we need to demonstrate transparency, and integrity more than anything
The judicial process has not yet been completed
The Sisters have appealed to the High Court The Vatican will respect the FINAL LEGAL DECISION
It is a long haul but JUSTICE and TRUTH will prevail ultimately We all know that !
My comment takes the form of a short post, and so sharing the link: https://wordpress.com/post/openspacechatroom.wordpress.com/990
This article in Matters India is neither about the judgement nor any new announcement on this case, it is about opportunism to weave a story around quoting an answer given by Nuncio in a different context during his recent visit to Jalandhar. The photographs and presentation adding colour and new meaning to build support for a false claim, that the verdict of the lower court means the case is over, and the church stands by it and the nuns in Jalandhar are pleased and relieved. The media too seems to have fallen into this trap, leading to a chain of similar articles with no added substance being published in different dailies following the article in Matters India. While the respondent quotes eloquent from the judgement in the comment section, appealing to readers to draw a similar conclusion, the matter is more complex, the case is far from over, and that the lower court verdict is petitioned against by the ‘ the state of Kerala ‘ and the ‘ survivor nun’.
This case has all makings of becoming a case study on manipulation by those in power. The lower court judgement has been critiqued and questioned by several senior advocates for its lack of sensitivity and being out of sync with recent law and policy changes when it comes to sexual assault and rape.
It is on record that the investigation and trial clearly revealed that the accused filed false cases against the survivor, accompanying sisters and their family members. It was also proven conclusively that the accused made false claims of residing in other places on the days mentioned in the complaint. His position of Bishop and patron and Superior of a diocesan congregation to which the survivor belongs, places him in a fiduciary relationship, that too was proved without doubt by the chief Public Prosecutor. Yet none of these points find mention in the judgement. What does find mention is a pornographic description of the survivors physical attributes, which are irrelevant and explained out of context.
What adds currency to such articles is it’s in keeping with the official church position with regard to cases involving their ‘ own’.
The church in India at least in the short history I have followed closely, has always found a rational to silence survivors and support the accused, if the accused is seen as ‘one of its own’. It is only when the culprit is seen as an ‘outsider’ do we express a heightened concern for justice, wave our minority flag, release press statements and get our school children, nuns and laity to rally, hold candle light vigil against police inaction and policy changes. This is not limited to India, the long list of POCSO cases fought by the church in support of predatory priests across the world is well documented. The efforts to break this trend are few and far apart. It’s high time to make a shift, if not now, then when?
The PLAIN TRUTH and the BARE FACTS are that the victimised Sisters have appealed to the High Court! We ALL KNOW how Courts work in India ! The FINAL JUDICIAL DECISION – will take a LONG , LONG TIME …to come – until that time NO ONE is ACQUITTED !!! Lets not fool ourselves!The Vatican does have at least some sensible persons who will NEVER take a ‘verdict’ of a trial court at face value! TRUTH, and JUSTICE WILL TRIUMPH!!!
Accountability is precisely what everyone without exception wants. However, the sad part is that in the case of the Nuncio it won’t happen since he enjoys diplomatic immunity.
God of justice! Hear our plea!!
It is good to know that Mr Chhotebhai has spoken to Bishop Kurian of Bhagalpur diocese.
I suggest that Mr Chhotebhai should also look into the history of Bhagalpur diocese and get justice for victims of the said diocese.
Bishop Kurian was very zealous to get justice for the victim nuns of Jalandhar diocese. Now who will get justice for the victim nuns and victim seminarians of Bhagalpur diocese?
I believe that an appeal is pending for hearing in a higher Court. Why then this mind blowing hurry? Vatican should have waited for the outcome.
Hilarious! The matter still remains sub-judice, considering that there is either an appeal in process or is already filed in the High Court of Judicature. So why this haste on the part of the Nuncio to add to the self-exoneration of the accused prelate? Let’s all wait before giving a clean chit straight away to anybody, implicitly condemning the plaintiff as a liar. After all, a simple analysis of the whole tamasha clearly indicates that there has been sexual intercourse between two avowed celibates of the Catholic Church, the only factor remaining to be proved is whether it was consensual or forced. Either way, both accuser and accused have lost their virginity/celibacy and wilfully so. What remains is the DEFROCKING OF BOTH. And just in case anyone has any doubts as to the merits or demerits of the case, the issue is being widely discussed in India not merely in Catholic circles but by the wider populace. As for those who are recommending the abrogation of celibacy in the Catholic priesthood, let them not be so foolhardy as to imagine that only celibates are guilty of such demeanour as is under scrutiny – the fact is that even the married suffer from such tendencies.
The verdict that Franco Mulakkal has cited is that of a Trial Court. The victim nun’s legal team has appealed to the Kerala High Court and the matter is yet to be heard. So how can the Nuncio say that Mulakkal is “innocent and free of all charges” before the High Court hearing? Isn’t he, by using the name of the Vatican, trying to preempt the High Court judgement? He has given a statement on a very sensitive matter which is sub-judice and should be held accountable by the Kerala High Court.
Probably, the next person to get a “clean chit” may be Villain William of Mysuru diocese. He has been facing a lot criminal charges with solid evidences. A committee made a study and submitted its report to the Nuncio. Just like Franco, the agents of William at the Vatican may try to get a “clean chit” for him.
The CBCI/CCBI are hand in gloves with the Nuncio and the Vatican. “The birds of the same feather flock together”. It is a real shame for the Indian Catholic Church.
In Tamil there is a proverb – “Panam paadhaalam varai paayum”, meaning, “money will go to the extent of the bottom of the earth”.
No wonder money has made the district judge to give verdict in favour of Franco. The agents of Franco at the Vatican also must have received money/material favours in order to get a “clean chit” for him. The Nuncio in India is just a PUPPET. He has to dance to the tune of the Vatican.
I had a slight faith in the Holy Roman Catholic Church that it stands for the Kingdom values that Jesus gave. But…no more! Only God can save the Holy Roman Catholic Church from the future DISASTER.
The Nuncio should issue a public statement on the purpose of his visit to Jalandhar and its outcome.
Frightening Franco should not be reinstated at least till his case is disposed off in the High Court. The Apostolic Administrator Angelo Gracias should also be removed as he has come across as no more than a Lackey of Franco. What is Franco’s source of funds for hiring some of the most expensive lawyers of the Supreme Court? Has Gracias graciously turned a blind eye to what is going on, including multi crore commercial ventures and cash transactions?
An impartial reading of the judgement reveals that the judge has bent over backwards to accommodate the defence arguments and reject the evidence of the prosecution including the statement of the bishop of Bhagalpur, with whom I spoke.
Wow! The bishop writing on himself here, eh?
How much money, power, influence and armtwisting were used both within the Church and outside to maintain such purity and innocence? Now that the survivor nun and the Government have gone in appeal against a verdict that’s clearly biased and bad in law, let’s wait for the final outcome from the higher courts. Hasn’t the accused requested the Vatican to relieve him of his responsibilities until the court case is over? Sympathies to the survivor and her community who have to live through the agony in the meanwhile. Let their situation and their struggle for justice be a moment of transformation in spirit and in law for the Church and society with regard to the condition of women at large. Let’s continue to pray for the sisters, the accused and the Church in India.
Now Indians do not require Vatican then
Wow Mulakkal exonerates himself while writing in third person. Others should have spoken for him. Having studied the judgement one is really surprised at the approach of the judge and the verdict he delivered.
Please give more details of what the lay organization had to say and who were the leaders.
, “the truth that was in the Court of God was finally revealed through the Court of the Country”.
The truth in the minds of the lay people is that all bishops, priests and nuns are corrupt, immoral liars. Most of them indulge in adultery and sexual immorality, no matter what the Court of the Country or the Court of God has to say.
My request to Bishop Franco is that he should stop proving his innocence because everybody knows what is happening in the catholic church..
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Let me add a few more details from the verdict. Bishop Franco was declared innocent, not for want of evidence but because PW1 was found not to be a sterling witness, other witnesses could not be believed, Medical certificate of the Nun was found to be tampered, and PW1 was found to be swayed by some people of vested interests. It also found out that feuds and power struggle within the Church and the Nun’s Congregation ultimately led to the accusation of rape. Moreover, the Prosecution feared to bring her only brother, her Nun-sister, former Mother General and her councillors, the Nun’s cousin’s husband with whom the Nun was alleged to have illicit relationship for which an investigation was asked by bishop Franco etc for Cross examination in spite of being listed as crucial witnesses. None of the witnesses had turned hostile and yet the accusation was proved to be false. Therefore, the Court declared Bishop Franco as innocent, discharging him from all the charges leveled against him. The bishop said, “the truth that was in the Court of God was finally revealed through the Court of the Country. Praise God”.