Kochi (AsiaNews) – In Kerala, three Catholic nuns have launched an independent clothing brand called Stand by Me.
They have been involved for years in a long and difficult legal battle against Mgr Franco Mulakkal, the current bishop emeritus of Jalandhar, whom they accused of sexual assault. Pope Francis accepted the prelate’s resignation in 2023.
Faced with isolation, the nuns have turned to sewing and making clothes to ensure their basic survival. The women religious “are bound together not only by a shared pain, but also by our determined commitment to creating a refuge of safety and solidarity. We are here not only for each other, but for all human beings who suffer violence. We are forging a new path and are determined to be heard and respected.”
A choice out of necessity
The nuns turned to the sewing machine out of absolute necessity. Working at the St Francis Mission Home in Kuravilangad, Kottayam District, Sisters Ranit, Alphy, and Ancitta make women's clothes, bags, and various clothing items under the brand Stand by Me – Survivors of Gender-Based Violence.
After the sexual assault scandal became public, the leaders of their congregation, the Missionaries of Jesus, gradually reduced and finally suspended the subsidies intended to support the nuns.
“We were left wondering how to survive without a single penny in hand,” Sister Ranit explained, speaking to local media about their desperate situation and the economic pressures that forced them to take up employment.
“Two nuns who had completed their MSW (Master of Social Work) tried to secure internships, but every institution turned them away. That was when we realised finding a job wouldn't be easy. The thought of finding work where no one could evict us led us to tailoring."
For long periods, the remaining nuns had to rely on a small plot of land planted with vegetables and modest sewing jobs to simply cover basic expenses.
The Mullakal case
The affair began in 2018, when Sister Ranit filed a complaint with police accusing Bishop Franco Mulakkal of multiple incidents of rape and sexual abuse between 2014 and 2016.
The case marked the first time a Catholic prelate was arrested in India on sexual assault charges. In January 2022, a lower court in Kottayam acquitted Mulakkal.
“Many people think the case is finished,” Sister Ranit said. “But the fight is not over. I realised I can't hide anymore. I want to be seen and heard. I want people to know that we are still alive, we are still here… our struggle is still continuing."
By choosing to forgo the legal anonymity normally afforded to victims, Sister Ranit turned her own experience into a form of open and public resistance. Despite intense social stigma, even from within their religious community, the nuns say the apparel line represents their refusal to be hidden, silenced, or erased.
The Stand by Me brand directly refers to the waves of public solidarity that stood by the nuns, such as the social media campaigns #WithTheNuns and #Avalkoppam (Always by Her Side), with thousands of Indians sending letters of support to the Kuravilangad convent.
For the Sisters, the business is not simply a commercial venture – it is an affirmation of their dignity and a means to finance their legal battle, while they await the formal hearing of their appeal at the Kerala High Court.
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