Expelled Kerala Nun's Memoir Sheds Light On Abuse And Harassment In Catholic Church
The autobiography of a
Catholic nun with scandalous accounts of sexual abuse and
exploitation by priests, illicit relationships and homosexuality among the
clergy threatens to hurtle the Catholic Church in Kerala into another crisis.
Karthavinte Namathil, which translates roughly as
“In the name of Christ”, is written by 52-year-old Sister Lucy Kalapura. The
203-page book, written in Malayalam, was released on Saturday. Kalapura is no
stranger to controversy herself. In August, she was expelled by
the Kerala-based Franciscan Clarist Congregation for her lifestyle, which it
said did not conform with church rules. This reportedly included publishing
books, and buying and driving a car.
Kalapura petitioned the Vatican against the congregation’s decision but her
appeal was denied. Refusing to accept her expulsion, she remains at her convent
in Wayanad. Kalapura has insisted
that the real reason behind her expulsion is her support of a
fellow nun in Kerala who has accused the former bishop of Jalandhar, Franco
Mulakkal, of rape. The release of her
book on Saturday coincided with the start of the trial against Mulakkal in a court in Kottayam.... read more:
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Kerala Nuns Speak Out About Decades-Long History Of Rape, Abuse By Priests