Won’t be shifted from convent, nuns assured

Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, February 9

Days after four Kerala nuns were issued transfer orders for protesting against rape-accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal, the Jalandhar Diocese today assured them that they will not be transferred as long as they are needed for the court case.

The Kerala nuns had claimed they had received an email a few days back from Bishop Agnelo Garcias, administrator of Jalandhar Diocese, indicating that their transfer orders issued by Mother General Regina Kandamthottu had been cancelled.

An email by apostolic Bishop Agnelo to five nuns, including Sister Neena Rose Edathil who had been summoned to Jalandhar over disobedience issue, had said: “I’ll like to assure the five of you that… there will be no move from the Diocese of Jalandhar to oust you from the convent as long as you are needed for the court case.”

Diocese spokesperson Father Peter Kavumpuram, however, clarified today: “The action of Mother General was not a transfer order. It was rather an invitation to them to return to their rightful communities from which they had walked out without any permission from Superiors”.

For nuns it is a win-win situation as they have been assured that non-compliance would not lead to their immediate expulsion.