The Vatican has appointed a new bishop for India’s Jalandhar Diocese in Punjab, years after Bishop Franco Mulakkal stepped down despite a court clearing him of charges of raping a nun.
After Bishop Franco Mulakkal's acquittal, Sr. Mary Nirmalini tells Cardinal Oswald Gracias that church authorities should, "at least now, try and reach out to the survivor and her companions and offer support to them."
GSR Today - As long as the clergy continue to enjoy the inordinate power that comes with ordination, the vulnerable among the people of God will continue to experience abuse, and nuns are among the most vulnerable.
A court in the southwestern Indian state of Kerala Jan. 14 acquitted Bishop Franco Mulakkal of Jalandhar in the historic case of the rape of a nun, saying the prosecution failed to prove the charges against him.
The case against Bishop Franco Mulakkal, which began in 2018 after a nun accused him of raping her multiple times, went to trial in August 2020. Here is a timeline of significant events.
The case against Bishop Franco Mulakkal, which began in 2018 after a nun accused him of raping her multiple times, went to trial in August 2020. Here are some of the key figures in the case.
With the high-profile trial of a bishop accused of raping a nun 13 times nearing the end, an Indian high court overruled a move to transfer the judge. Critics had called the transfer highly unusual and some alleged that Catholic Church leaders had lobbied for the change.
"This is for your own safety," the judge told Lucy Kalappura. "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."
Sr. Lucy Kalappura says she will not vacate the Franciscan Clarist Congregation's convent in the Wayanad district of Kerala until the Indian court has heard her case.
