Sister Lucy Kalapura, once barred by church authorities for challenging institutional power, has been enrolled as a lawyer at 60 with the Bar Council of Kerala. Her journey marks a powerful shift from religious resistance to legal advocacy.
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KERALA: Sister Lucy Kalapura, a nun and long-time fighter against institutional injustice, has scripted history by enrolling as a lawyer with the Kerala High Court Bar Council at the age of 60. Her enrolment marks a powerful continuation of her public struggle for women’s rights, accountability within religious institutions, and access to justice.
On Saturday, during the official enrolment ceremony, the Bar Council called her on stage without the traditional “Sister” prefix. Instead, she was formally announced as “Lucy KS is enrolled”, symbolising her transition from a religious identity to a legal one.
Sister Lucy received her enrolment certificate from Kerala High Court Judge Justice N. Nagaresh, in the presence of:
- Advocate Ajith TS, Chairman of the Bar Council of Kerala
- Advocate Mohammed Shah PA, Chairman of the Enrolment Committee
Videos shared with the media showed an emotional Lucy holding her certificate, a moment she described as the “fruit of years of struggle.”
“It was not an easy journey. I hope to give voice and legal support to women who have had to endure injustice and stand alone before the judiciary,”
she said.
Sister Lucy began her law studies in July 2022, a year after retiring as a mathematics teacher. She pursued her LLB from Sree Narayana Law College, Ernakulam, proving that age is no barrier to education or reinvention.
Acknowledging the challenges ahead, she added:
“I need to work as a junior for a longer time. Work begins at the age of 60.”
During her studies, she lived in a hostel and credits her teachers and classmates for supporting her academic journey.
Sister Lucy’s legal journey cannot be separated from her long-standing conflict with church authorities.
She emerged as a prominent face of protests in September 2018, held near the Kerala High Court, demanding the arrest of Jalandhar Bishop Franco Mulakkal, who was accused of repeatedly raping a nun between 2014 and 2016 at a convent in Kuravilangad, Kottayam.
In August 2019, the Franciscan Clarist Congregation (FCC) expelled her for leading protests against the bishop.
Church authorities cited alleged “lifestyle violations”, including:
- Learning to drive
- Buying a car
- Publishing poetry
- Publicly supporting the survivor nun
The Vatican later ratified the expulsion decision.
In July 2021, the Kerala High Court directed Sister Lucy to vacate the FCC convent in Wayanad, though she later secured an injunction allowing her to stay.
At one point, when her lawyer withdrew from a case, Sister Lucy argued her case herself in court, foreshadowing her future in law.
“I go there once in a while. To get this degree, I was practising here in Kochi,”
she said.
Sister Lucy also authored her autobiography, “In the Name of Christ,” which critically examined power structures within the Church. The book stirred controversy and debate within religious circles.
On January 27, 2022, a Pala POCSO court acquitted Bishop Franco Mulakkal. Sister Lucy strongly criticised the verdict, calling it “against Christianity.”
She has consistently maintained that nuns and women within powerful institutions lack an independent voice, a belief that ultimately pushed her toward studying law.
Sister Lucy Kalapura’s decision to become a lawyer is deeply rooted in her lived experiences.
“My decision to study law was driven by my determination to fight for nuns and women who are silenced by powerful systems,”
she has said.
