Pro-bishop nuns complain to Kerala CM

Kochi: The representatives of Missionaries of Jesus congregation, supporting Bishop Franco Mulakkal, currently in judicial custody for allegedly raping a nun, met Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in  New Delhi on Wednesday and expressed their dissatisfaction over the investigation in the case.

Speaking to reporters in New Delhi Sr. Amala, public relation officer of Missionaries of Jesus congregation, said representatives of the congregation have appraised the chief minister about the bias of the investigation team probing the case

." We are not satisfied with the present investigation team", she said. Stating that bishop is innocent she said he had been implicated in the case falsely.

"Truth will not disappear just because five persons are lying", she said referring to five nuns from the St. Francis Home Mission at Kuruvilangad involved in staging a public protest demanding the arrest of the bishop.

The office-bearers of Missionaries of Jesus, a congregation coming under the Jalandhar diocese, have been supporting the bishop ever since the nun had raised the allegation against him.

The congregation also released a report few days ago accusing the nun of fabricating the allegation against the bishop.

The inquiry report has made several allegations against the nun including financial misappropriation.

 The police has registered a case against Sr. Amala and other office-bearers of the congregation for publishing the photographs of the nun who has raised charges against Bishop Franco Mulakkal.

Bishop Franco was arrested on September 21, 86 days after the nun filed a complaint against him.

The delay in arresting the accused has led to protests in several parts of the state including a 15-day long agitation by five nuns at High Court junction in Kochi.

KCBC responsible for defaming Church, says Action Council

The leadership of Catholic Church is solely responsible for bringing infamy to the Church before the people at large by sitting on a complaint filed by the nun against sexual assault for more than two years, says Fr. Augustine Vattoly, convener of the Save Our Sisters Action Council. Refuting the charges made by Kerala Catholic Bishop Council (KCBC) that protest by a section of nuns and priests has defamed the Church, Fr. Vattoly pointed out that the aggrieved nun had approached the police only after waiting for more than two years for the church leadership to take action on her complaint.

"We would reiterate that dignity of the Church is not hit by nuns and priests struggling in the streets for justice.  The dignity is diminished by those in the Church trying cover up injustice by using their power in the Church", he said in a statement.The silence of the KCBC on the circumstance of nun making complaint and the public protest is quite meaningful, hesaid. "It is very clear that leadership is responsible for the sad plight of the church before the civil society as they failed to take any action to resolve the complaint raised by the nun", the statement said.   

The statement also said that it is matter of regret that KCBC, even now, is not making any attempt to understand the pain and anguish of the nun. The SoS Action Council is not in support of any attempt to denigrate Church. "We have made it very clear on many occasions", Fr. Vattoly said. It is natural that when issues like sexual assault of a nun become public people from different perspectives will express their opinions. "The attitude of certain persons in the Church leadership has provided an opportunity for those trying to destroy the Church", he added.