Sister Lucy Kalappura, who was expelled from the Franciscan Clarist Congregation of the Syro-Malabar diocese, Mananthavady, has said that the rejection of her appeal by the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolica Signatura is mysterious.
“I had submitted my third appeal to the Apostolica Signatura though an advocate in Vatican in March 2020 and contacted him many times. He said that trial procedure was yet to start at the tribunal because of the COVID-19 spread,” Sr. Lucy told The Hindu .
“As per the letter from Vatican my appeal was produced before the Signatura in May 2020,” Sister Lucy said, adding that usually the tribunal would not take such a hasty decision, especially during a pandemic outbreak. “Hence, it is suspected that the letter from Vatican is a fabricated one,” she said. Moreover, the postal stamp on the letter seemed to have been tampered with, she added.
Sr. Lucy said the congregation seemed determined to oust her by any means. “The Superior General of the congregation asked me in a recent letter to leave the nunnery in a week on the basis of the letter from Vatican. But I will not leave,” she said.
Sr. Lucy had earlier petitioned the munsiff court at Mananthavady to stay the decision of the congregation. The court had granted temporary injunction to the expulsion till January 1, 2020. “I am awaiting a further ruling from the court as I have full trust on the rule of the land,” she said.
