In a temporary relief to Kerala nun Sister Lucy Kalappura, who was expelled by her Congregation for disobeying the law of the church, a court has granted an injunction on her expulsion from her convent till January 1. Sister Lucy was expelled on August 7 by the Franciscan Clarist Congregation (FCC) for 'failing to give a satisfactory explanation' for her lifestyle "in violation of rules.
Sister Lucy Kalappura had published poems, purchased a car and taken part in a street protest by five nuns of the Catholic religious order, Missionaries of Jesus, against rape-accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal.
A Munsiff court in Mananthawadi, which heard the petition by the nun on Wednesday, granted temporary injunction to the dismissal till January 1.
"The nun had moved the court over her expulsion from the FCC. The move was without even hearing her side. The court had yesterday (Wednesday) said it will hear the matter on January 1," a relative of the nun told PTI.
The congregation, under the Roman Catholic Church, had said she was issued "proper canonical warnings", but did not show the needed remorse.
In its letter (dated August 5) to her, Superior General of Aluva-based FCC, Sister Ann Joseph said,"You are hereby dismissed from the Franciscan Clarist Congregation as you failed to give a satisfactory explanation for your lifestyle in violation of the proper law of the FCC".
The "unanimous decision" to dismiss the nun was taken at the congregation's General Council on May 11 this year.
This was sent to the Congregation for the Oriental Churches in the Vatican through the Nuntiature in New Delhi.
On August 5, the congregation received the communication from the "Apostolic See" that the dismissal decree had got the needed confirmation.
In its notice to the nun early in January, the congregation accused Sister Lucy of having a driving licence, buying a car, taking a loan for it and publishing a book and spending money without the permission and knowledge of her superiors. The congregation termed these as "grave violations".
Sister Lucy Kalappura had dismissed some 14 charges levelled against her by the congregation, saying many of them were a "deliberate attempt" to paint her in "bad light".
The congregation had also alleged the nun violated FCC's dress code in public without any permission" and "caused grave external scandal and harm to the Church" by participating in the protest by 'Save Our Sisters Action Council' on September 20 2018 at Kochi, seeking the arrest of Bishop Franco Mulakkal.
It had described her actions as "improper behaviour" in religious life and violations of religious discipline.