Franco quits as bishop

IN a welcome move, Franco Mulakkal has at last resigned from the post of bishop of the Jalandhar diocese. The development came after a request from the Vatican in this regard. The Vatican clarified that the move was not a disciplinary action but done ‘for the good’ of the diocese. With Pope Francis accepting Franco’s resignation, the way has been cleared for a new incumbent. However, the bestowing on Franco of the status of bishop emeritus — which does not impose canonical restrictions on his ministry — does undermine the Vatican’s stand on stripping him of a bishop’s privileges.

After Franco was accused of rape by a nun in 2018, he had been temporarily relieved of his pastoral duties and the administrative charge was handed over to bishop Agnelo Gracias. The nun, a member of the Missionaries of Jesus, a congregation that falls under the Jalandhar diocese, had alleged that Franco had raped her multiple times at her convent in Kottayam district, Kerala, between 2014 and 2016. The case has since triggered divergent emotional reactions from the community. While thousands of members of the diocese held a rosary march in Jalandhar in 2018 to express their solidarity with Franco, the voices of women’s organisations and human rights activists against him amplified; they asked the Vatican to remove the tainted clergyman. The nun questioned why the church was ‘closing its eyes to the truth’ when she had mustered the courage to speak out.

In January last year, the Additional District and Sessions Court, Kottayam, acquitted Franco of the rape charges as the prosecution failed to provide sufficient evidence against him. But the fight for justice continues as the nun has moved the Kerala High Court against the verdict.