Wayanad, Dec 5: An autobiography by a rebel nun that exposes, among others, atrocities including sexual abuse and exploitation by Catholic clergy, has opened a Pandora’s box in the state of Kerala, if not the whole of the Catholic world.
Sr Lucy, a former nun of the Franciscan Clarist Congregation (FCC) in Mananthavady near here, has been in news ever since she deposed against Bishop Franco Mulakkal, accused in raping repeatedly a nun in Kottayam. The book by Sister Lucy Kalappurakkal, titled ‘Karthavinte Naamathil’ (meaning, ‘In the Name of Lord’) which recently hit the stands alleges human rights violations and sexual perversion by priests of the Church.
Raising sensational allegations against several priests, the crusader author has also scripted her own experience of having faced multiple attempts of alleged sexual exploitation by the priests.
Though the Church and its loyal people tried to block the book being published, the High Court did not give nod to their demand and cleared its release. Protests are brewing against Sister Lucy, with agitators staging demonstrations and burning effigy before the residence of the former nun late on Wednesday night.
The controversial 232-page book by the middle-aged Lucy, who become an insider of the church at the age of 17 after vowing to become a nun, also allege that elderly nuns used to push younger nuns towards priests for sexual subjugation.
Not only that senior nuns compel young ones to please priests, few of them practice homosexuality with junior nuns, the book asserts.
It hit hard the priests by alleging their sexual perversions by enjoying the company of nude nuns for hours together. These nuns were subjected to sexual perversions, the book reveals.
The criminal case against the top brass of the congregation had raised the eyebrows of the Church and followers.
The church was not pleased that Sister Lucy acted against the interest of the church and vouched for Bishop Franco’s arrest and went vocal about this issue in the media. In 2019, she received a third warning letter from the congregation, which would cause her expulsion from the convent, if she did not produce adequate reasoning for her deeds.
It was something which the church cannot bear from a nun and her expulsion has been a single-point agenda for the church who materialised their mission late last year. Though Lucy approached Vatican, she was shown the door by the top authority also.
