Franco Mulakkal: Kerala priest revokes ban on nun who joined protest
Thiruvananthapuram, Sept 25 (IBNS): A Catholic priest in Kerala’s Wayanad district, who had barred a nun from church duties after she had participated in a protest to demand the arrest of a rape accused Bishop, recalled his decision on Tuesday, media reports said.
He was forced to recall the decision after facing opposition from angry members of his own parish.
On Sunday, Father Stephen Kottakkal of St Mary’s Church in Karickamala had ordered Sister Lucy Kalappura to keep away from distributing Holy Communion and holding Catechism classes, The Indian Express reported.
On Monday, the church under the Mananthavady diocese witnessed unprecedented scenes: Around 200 parishioners, mainly farmers, stormed in and forced the priest to lift the ban on Sister Lucy, 52, who belongs to the Franciscan Clarist Congregation (FCC), reported the newspaper further.
“The direction to Sister Lucy to keep away from church duties has been withdrawn according to the demand of the people. On Sunday, I was forced to issue such a direction after a few parishioners demanded that Sister Lucy, who had supported the nuns’ agitation, should not be allowed to assist at the church,’’ the priest was quoted as saying by the newspaper.
Sister Lucy was part of the nuns who were protesting against the arrest of Jalandhar-based Bishop Franco Mulakkal.
Mulakkal, who is accused of raping a nun, was arrested on Friday.
He has been sent to a 14-day judicial custody by a Kottayam district court.
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