‘Many Women Complained About Mulakkal’: Fr Kuriakose in Interview

In an interview to Mathrubhumi before he was killed, Father Kuriakose called out Bishop Mulakkal.

Father Kuriakose Kattuthara (R), one of the prime witnesses who had testified against rape accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal (L), was found dead in Jalandhar on Monday, 22 October.

(Photo altered by The Quint)

Father Kuriakose Kattuthara, who was found dead on Monday, 22 October, in his last interview had called out Bishop Franco Mulakkal, the accused in a rape case brought by a nun, for the campaign of character assassination against the nuns who protested against him. He also said that many other nuns had left the church because of Mulakkal’s behaviour.

In the interview that was shot in July this year, Kuriakose had said that the complainant had provided exemplary services and had never been associated with any scandals.

He told Mathrubhumi News that many other sisters who had left church, apart than the complainant, had cited Bishop Mulakkal as their reason for leaving.

“I have known the complainant and the other protesting nuns for a long time. She has given exemplary service throughout her life and has never had any scandal associated with her. The church had even decided to make her Mother General. She has never misled the other nuns.”

Father Kuriakose Kattuthara to Mathrubhumi News

Mulakkal had earlier accused the complainant of inappropriate behaviour. Father Kuriakose, in his interview, had said that if Mulakkal had issues with the nuns why he didn’t approach the higher authorities and went to the police about their supposedly 'loose' character.

“Although the complainant had not told us anything, recently many other sisters who had left the church had come and told me that ‘as long as the bishop remains in office, I cannot continue with the church’. If it was one or two, it could have been slander. But many women came.”

Father Kuriakose Kattuthara to Mathrubhumi News

He blamed media and social media for running a slander campaign against the protesting nuns.

“I protest the slandering and character assassination done against them in the media. If the nun had shown disobedience, why did the bishop never take it up with the higher-ups? Why did he go to the police and say that she and other protesting nuns had loose character? We are pained that a slander campaign was done against them through the media and social media. Let the truth come out.”

Father Kuriakose Kattuthara to Mathrubhumi News

Father Kuriakose was a prosecution witness in the rape case and had given a statement to the police against Father Franco Mulakkal, who is the main accused in Kerala nun rape case. Mulakkal is currently out on conditional bail.