Franco’s retirement was accepted by Pope Francis, opening the door for a new leader. However, the Vatican’s stance against depriving Franco of a bishop’s powers is undermined by the awarding of the position of bishop emeritus to him, which does not place canonical limitations on his ministry.
Source: Tribune India
Franco had been temporarily stripped of his pastoral responsibilities after being accused of rape by a nun in 2018, and the administrative authority had been given to bishop Agnelo Gracias.
The nun, a Missionaries of Jesus congregant affiliated with the Jalandhar diocese, said that Franco repeatedly sexually assaulted her at her convent in Kerala’s Kottayam region between 2014 and 2016. Since then, the case has caused a range of emotional responses across the community.
The cries of women’s organisations and human rights campaigners against Franco became louder in 2018, when hundreds of people of the diocese participated in a rosary march in Jalandhar to show their support for the dictator. They urged the Vatican to dismiss the corrupt priest. The nun asked why, after finding the strength to speak up, the church was closing its eyes to the truth.
Source: CNN- News 18
The Additional District and Sessions Court in Kottayam cleared Franco of the rape accusations in January of last year because the prosecution had not shown enough evidence to convict him. However, the quest for justice is still ongoing as the nun has appealed the decision to the Kerala High Court.
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