Franco Mulakkal resigns as Jalandhar BishopBishop

Franco Mulakkal, who was temporarily relieved of his pastoral responsibilities by Pope Francis in 2018 following allegations of rape by a nun, has resigned from the Jalandhar Bishop’s post, a church source said on Thursday. The resignation of Mulakkal, who was acquitted by a local court in Kerala last year in the rape case, was requested by the Vatican not as a disciplinary measure imposed upon him, but for the good of the Jalandhar diocese, which needs a new bishop, the source told PTI. His resignation will pave the way for the appointment of a new bishop to the diocese, the source said. In a video, the bishop confirmed that the Holy See accepted his resignation today.