The Kerala High Court orally suggested to Sister Lucy Kalappura, who was expelled from the Franciscan Clarist Congregation (FCC), that she may have to vacate from the convent in Wayanad in view of her security.
Appearing in person, the nun argued that if evicted, she had no place to go.
She submitted to the court not to evict her from the convent. A case challenging the eviction notice was pending before a trial court, she submitted.
Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan said the order of police protection granted last year by the High Court cannot continue any longer if she intended to continue at the convent.
He said if she continued to stay at the convent, which had made allegations of indiscipline against her, the conflicts with the staff or authorities there would also continue.
Sister Lucy said while she had the police protection she had confidence to venture out and whenever there was any conflict with the convent authorities, like the kitchen or dining area being closed for her, the police came to her aid.
The court, however, said the only plea before it was for police protection and it was willing to grant the same as long as she was not staying at the convent.
The convent, during the brief hearing, alleged that there was a discipline to be followed in a nunnery and the sister was not following it.
It further claimed that she returned to the convent at varying hours in the night which was not permissible.
It also informed the High Court that the civil court order granting her protection from arrest had expired and was no longer in force.
Last month, the Vatican had rejected the third appeal of Sister Lucy against the decision of the FCC to expel her for “failing” to provide explanation for her lifestyle, which allegedly violated church rules.
Kalappura, who took part in a protest by nuns belonging to Missionaries of Jesus Congregation seeking thearrest of Bishop Franco Mulakkal, accused of raping a nun, was expelled by the FCC under the Roman Catholic Church in August2019.
The congregation, in its notice, had termed as “grave violations” in Sister Lucy possessing 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 and the Vatican had ratified the decision.
The nun, however, had denied the charges levelled against her by the congregation, saying many of them were a “deliberate attempt to paint her in bad light.”
(With inputs from PTI)
