Expelled nun's memoir to be released on December 10

Thiruvananthapuram: Sister Lucy Kalappura, who raised her voice against rape-accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal and was expelled for it, is set to publish a memoir.

Kalappura told PTI her work Karthaavinte Naamathil’ (In The Name of Christ) would narrate her life experience, and sexual abuse and harassment faced by nuns in convents.

The book would be released on December 10 in Ernakulam, she said.

Excerpts from the work were recently published in Samakalika Malayalam Varika, a Malayalam publication, suggesting it to be an account of her life as a nun in the Syro-Malabar Church.

The book talks also about consensual sexual relationships between priests and nuns, homosexuality among the priests and nuns and misuse of positions held by priests and bishops.

“…There were many instances of court cases with regard to sexual exploitation of priests. It’s all an open secret,” she said.

When asked what prompted her to write, she said she wanted to bring about a change in the church.

“Even the Pope had said that married people can become priests. That they can come to spiritual leadership. Why are we not doing it here? Some of the priests are sexually exploiting nuns,” she said.

Those who want to marry and carry on with the church activities should be allowed to do so, she said.

“There is no point in allowing exploitation or forced celibacy. Instead, those who want to marry while being in priesthood should be allowed to do so,” she said.

She further said there were instances in which some nuns were impregnated by priests and forced to leave the congregation.

She said most of the incidents written in the book were experiences faced by other nuns and some by herself.

The sister had invited the wrath of the church by participating in a street-protest by five nuns of the Catholic religious order Missionaries of Jesus, who were demanding the arrest of Mulakkal.