Kerala church hit by another former nun's tell-all book

[email protected] (Hindustan Times)
April 30, 2012

nunrape

Thiruvananthapuram, April 30: Two years after “Amen” — the tell-all autobiography of Sister Jesme — threw light on the sexual exploitation of nuns, the powerful Catholic church of Kerala is facing a fresh round of attack from another former nun.

Sister Mary Chandy, 67, who left the church after 40 years of service, is set to release her biographical sketch 'Nanma Niranajavare Swasthi' in the first week of May.

Sister Chandy says she was forced to quit 12 years ago after she resisted a rape attempt by a priest.

“My book is an expression of the sufferings I had passed through as a nun, and the debauchery I witnessed in the convents,” she said. “Most are inclined to lust than spirituality.”

In her book, she describes how she ran away from home at the age of 13 to join the church and how her reward had been four decades of exploitation and abandonment.

Most often, priests and nuns fail to keep their vows of chastity, she said. Those who refuse to succumb are viciously targeted.

After Sister Chandy left the Congregation of Daughter of Presentation of Mary, many wrote her off, but today she successfully runs an orphanage in north Kerala's Wayanad district.

“Service is in my blood. I don't need an address or a stamp to prove my resolve,” she said.

Jose Pazhukaran, a Malayalam writer, has helped Sister Chandy to put together her memoirs.

Bookshop owners are already flooded with inquiries.

Most have given bulk orders after word spread that the book will be more revealing than Sister Jesme's 2009 autobiography, which was a graphic documentation of the sexual harassment and repression she had to face.

Jesme's autobiography included a poignant version by her of how the convent authorities tried to twice prove that she had mental problems and get her admitted into a rehab centre after she reportedly spoke out against the malpractices within the Order.


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News Network
May 6,2020

Bengaluru, May 6: More than a month after international flights have been barred, Karnataka government is preparing to quarantine all 10,823 of the state''s people poised to return home from overseas amid the Covid pandemic, an official said on Tuesday.

"The state has planned to quarantine all 10,823 passengers coming back to Karnataka. The quarantine guidelines framed as below would be applicable," said Health Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Pandey in a statement.

According to the Government of India, 10,823 Karnataka residents have been stranded abroad by April 30, comprising 4,408 tourists, 3,074 students, 2,784 migrants and professionals and 557 ship crew.

Out of the 10,823 people, the state government is expecting 6,100 to return early as the government has decided to allow Indians stuck abroad to return.

"All the passengers arriving at points of entry (airports and seaports) will be compulsorily screened for symptoms of Covid-19," said Pandey.

Point of entry screening will include self-reporting form verification, thermal screening, pulse oximeter reading, briefing with instructions, categorisation, stamping for some and downloading of Aarogya Setu, Quarantine Watch and Apthamitra apps.

Arriving passengers are also required to declare existing comorbidities such hypertension, diabetes, asthma or any lung disease, organ transplantations, cancer, tuberculosis and other ailments.

Passengers will be categorised into three groups: Category A (symptomatic on arrival), Category B (asymptomatic with co-morbidity or aged above 60 years) and Category C (rest of asymptomatic passengers).

Depending on the category into which the people fall, their quarantine place and time will be determined.

Category A arrivals will be subjected to institutional quarantine for a fortnight, Category B one week quarantine at a hotel or hostel, followed by another week at home, and Category C home quarantine for a fortnight.

Karnataka government is making elaborate arrangements and logistical means, deploying healthcare, police and several other departments into action to handle the huge influx of Kannadigas and state residents.

Pandey has issued a 21-page elaborate standard operating procedure (SOP) guidelines on how to face the international returnees.

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News Network
July 16,2020

Bengaluru, Jul 16: Rattled by the spurt in Covid-19 positive cases, a Karnataka minister on Wednesday said only god would save the people from coronavirus pandemic.

"Only god has to save us from the virus or the people should be made aware of the infection so that they wear mask and maintain social distancing," state Health Minister B Sriramulu told reporters in Chitradurga, 205-km northwest of Bengaluru.

Noting that the infection does not differentiate between rich and poor, police, doctors, politicians or legislators, Sriramulu said the communicable disease could rise to alarming level in the ensuing two months, as the cases were rising daily the world over.

"Who can control coronavirus? In the present situation, only god has to save us. Otherwise, the people should become aware of its (virus) consequences. If we have made mistakes, we are ready to face punishment for them," said Sriramulu, who is the ruling BJP's legislator from the Molakalmuru reserved assembly segment in the district.

Refuting the opposition Congress charge that the cases were rising in the state due to negligence by ministers, officials and legislators, Sriramulu said Karnataka was performing better than other states till the cases began to steadily rise since unlock started and the people were moving in violation of the guidelines.

A record 3,176 cases were reported from across the southern state during the day, taking the Covid tally to a whopping 47,253, including 27,853 active cases after 18,466 were discharged, with 1,076 during the day, while 928 succumbed to the virus, with 87 in the last 24 hours.

In Bengaluru, which is under 9-day lockdown since Tuesday night till July 22 morning, 1,975 positive cases were registered, taking its tally to 22,944, including 17,051 active after 5,455 were discharged so far, with 463 during the day, while 437 died of the infection, with 60 in the last 24 hours.

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May 14,2020

Mangaluru, May 14: An 80-year-old woman from Kulshekar in Mangaluru, who was undergoing treatment for covid-19, today breathed her last in the hospital.

The victim, identified as P-507, was said to be in critical condition for past few days.

The elderly woman and her 45-year-old son were tested coronavirus positive on April 27 days after she got admitted to First Neuro hospital at Padil in the city.

With this the covid-19 death toll in Dakshina Kannada rose to five. Shockingly, all five victims are women. The district has so far reported 34 positive cases including five deaths. Currently there are only 14 active cases. 15 people have already discharged.

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