Expelled Kerala nun pens memoir on "sexual abuse by bishops"

Sister Lucy Kalappura, one of the nuns who protested against rape-accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal said that her autobiography titled 'Karthaavinte Naamathil' (In the name of the Lord) also talks of the sexual abuse from priests and bishops -- a fact which everybody knows but is silent about.

She said: "It is about life experiences and sexual abuse and harassment of nuns by priests and bishops -- a fact which everybody knows but is silent about."

She said that she started writing the book between 2004 and 2005, after experiencing mental torture from the congregation.

"I had started writing it in 2004-05 because during the period of 2000-03 I had a bitter experience -- mental torture from the congregation. I thought it would be better to keep a record of all that. So, I started to write little by little," Sister Lucy said.

Narrating the incidents of "sexual abuses and torture faced by the sisters", she said that even church leaders who supported the sisters, the victims of sexual abuse, have now started supporting the accused.

"Catholic Church leaders, who supported the sisters -- the victims, have now started talking against them and are supporting the accused. It is against the teachings of Jesus Christ. It pained me and I thought this should be published, whatever is happening," the sister said.

Sister Lucy was expelled by the Franciscan Clarist Congregation in August this year for "grave violations", stating that she is buying a car on loan, possessing a driving licence, publishing a book and spending money without her superiors' permission.

However, she dismissed the charges, saying many of them were a "deliberate attempt to paint her in a bad light."

In January this year, she was served the first warning letter by the Superior General of the congregation, followed by two more in February and March for violating the vow of obedience.

Bishop Mulakkal, a senior member of the Roman Catholic clergy in India, was arrested last year following allegations by a nun that he repeatedly raped and sexually assaulted her at a Kuravilangad convent between 2014 and 2016, a charge that he denies.