Jalandhar Bishop Franco Mulakkal, who has been accused of sexually assaulting a nun, has written to Pope Francis, asking to be relieved of his responsibilities of the diocese.
Mulakkal also denied the rape charges raised by the nun in his letter to the Pope. He also stated he was cooperating in the legal procedures.
Mulakkal also said that he would arrive in Kerala on September 19 to face police questioning.
Nun's sister to go on hunger strike
Meanwhile, the group of people, including nuns, who have been holding a protest in Kochi, seeking action against Bishop Mulakkal, is all set to intensify the agitation.
The sister of the victim nun will go on a hunger strike from Monday, the 10th day of the protest. The nun's sister said that it was painful to note that the top hierarchy of the Church was remaining silent over the complaint. “We did not get justice from the Church; money rules the clergy,” she added.
Writer P. Geeta will join her on Monday evening.
Joint Christian Council office-bearer Stephen Matthew, who had been on a hunger strike, was arrested and shifted to Ernakulam General hospital on Monday.
The nun had recently sought urgent intervention of the Vatican for justice and demanded the removal of Mulakkal as the head of the Jalandhar Diocese, questioning why the church was “closing its eyes to the truth” when she had mustered courage to make public her suffering.
She alleged that Mulakkal was using “political and money power” to “bury” the case against him.
The nun had accused Mulakkal of sexually assaulting her repeatedly between 2014 and 2016.
Mulakkal had, however, dismissed the allegations as “baseless and concocted,” insisting she levelled those as the Catholic order had rejected her demand for favours.
