Three Catholic Nuns Rebuild Lives After Being Ostracized by Congregation

The St Francis Mission Home in Kottayam. Kerala, is a humble chapel where three women are hard at work at their sewing machines. They make elegant dresses and functional bags – all customised to the wishes of their patrons.

The sisters' clothing brand, 'Stand From', has become a symbol of resilience and determination.

The Home is affiliated to the congregation that Sr Ranit lodged a rape police officers officers complaint against in 2018. The then Bishop of Jalandhar, Franco Mulakkal, was acquitted on the grounds that there was lack of proof and inconsistencies in the survivor’s statements. Sr Ranit, who moved the High Court against the acquittal, is awaiting a hearing.

How it all began

Sr Ranit says they would often get calls from Sisters in Solidarity – a loose collective of nuns. Former nuns, ally priests, and other victims of sexual violence that was formed in 2018. “They would ask us, ‘Are you still weeping?' Why don’t you do some stitching and keep yourself engaged?

It started as a distraction, the stitching.”

But soon, the so-called distraction took the shape of necessity as the trio stopped getting sustenance funds from their congregation and had to look for ways to fend for themselves. “We had one sewing machine at first. Then some well wishers asked what we needed to go on.

We said we would like another sewing machine,” Sr Ranit tells The Indian Express.

The brand developed as they went along

The sisters have five regular machines, another for embroidery, and one exclusively dedicated to lock-stitching. Sitting in her convent, Sr Ranit says the name 'Stand “They shared that they would stand That they are with us. So ‘Stand “It would be about standing It was the name closest to the cause we believed in and we stood for.”

Coincidentally, Stand ” The brand developed as the sisters went along. “We just wanted to stitch something. Then customers gave us suggestions.

Like someone shared there should be a laptop sleeve for the bag that she wanted us to stitch. We heard everyone out, all the customers, and came up with nighties, salwar kameez and bags which were custom-made.”

More than just a brand, a movement

The sisters grow their own vegetables and rear poultry. “We are supposed to get Rs 5,000 per month (from the congregation) as support funds, but we have not been getting it. So, we decided to grow vegetables, sew… do everything we can to keep the Home going,” says Sr Ranit.

The tracts around the Home now have rows of tapioca, cabbage, cauliflower, ginger and turmeric plants. In a pen on the campus, hens and ducks cluck and quack noisily. The sisters have also been milking a cow and selling milk at the mission home.

Teamwork behind the success

In Kozhikode when we first confirmed that Stand Last month. They sold 60 bags of three different kinds in a month and as many sets of nighties. Sr Ranit gives the credit to teamwork.

“This all came from one person cutting the cloth, another stitching and another embroidering. In one sitting The next exhibition could be even better, says Sr Ranit.

The sisters will put up their wear at Nirangal. An annual event held They are earning “enough to get But what troubles the nuns is sudden expenditures which come with the territory of leading a secluded life. “Sometimes, things just don’t work.

A water pumping motor conking off sets us back We are still struggling to meet such expenditure,” says Sr Ranit.

But they do not want charity, the sisters make it clear. “We just want to live, our heads held high,” says Sr Ranit.

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Key Background and Context

Among the scattering of buildings that make this sprawling premises in Keralam's Kottayam district is a chapel. Right next to it is a corridor where three women are hard at work at their sewing machines. They make elegant, comfortable dresses and functional sling and tote bags – all customised to the wishes of their patrons.

Embroidery seems to be their specialty as is evident in the modest and dainty nightgowns put up on display on mannequins. It could be a humble boutique running out of a home. Except, this is not just about any home.

The women behind the sewing machines are no ordinary women either. A blue signboard next to the Pala-Vaikkom state highway announces the St Francis Mission Home. It is this premises, accessed For the last eight years, it is all that their world has been confined to.

In 2018, Sr Ranit lodged a rape police complaint against the then Bishop of Jalandhar, Franco Mulakkal. The Home is affiliated to this congregation. In 2022, a trial court acquitted Mulakkal on the grounds that there was lack of proof and inconsistencies in the survivor’s statements.

Sr Ranit, who moved the High Court against the acquittal, is awaiting a hearing. Ostracised In 2023, their clothing brand ‘Stand From distraction to source of livelihood On how the venture began, Sr Ranit says they would often get calls from Sisters in Solidarity – a loose collective of nuns, former nuns, ally priests, and other victims of sexual violence that was formed in 2018, the year she began her fight.

“They would ask us, ‘Are you still weeping?' Why don’t you do some stitching and keep yourself engaged? It started as a distraction, the stitching.” she says. But soon, the so-called distraction took the shape of necessity as the trio stopped getting sustenance funds from their congregation and had to look for ways to fend for themselves.

“We had one sewing machine at first. Then some well wishers asked what we needed to go on. We said we would like another sewing machine,” Sr Ranit tells The Indian Express.

Now, the sisters have five regular machines, another for embroidery, and one exclusively dedicated to lock-stitching. Sitting in her convent, Sr Ranit says the name 'Stand “They said that they would stand That they are with us.

So ‘Stand “It would be about standing It was the name closest to the cause we believed in and we stood for.” Coincidentally, Stand ” The brand developed as the sisters went along. “We just wanted to stitch something. Then customers gave us suggestions.

Like someone said there should be a laptop sleeve for the bag that she wanted us to stitch. We heard everyone out, all the customers, and came up with nighties, salwar kameez and bags which were custom-made.” The raw material came from their well wishers. “There were several people who brought us raw material for stitching.

We even went searching for them ourselves,” says Sr Ranit. Besides the clothing brand, the sisters grow their own vegetables and rear poultry. “We are supposed to get Rs 5,000 per month (from the congregation) as support funds.

However, we have not been getting it. So, we decided to grow vegetables, sew… do everything we can to keep the Home going,” says Sr Ranit. The tracts around the Home now have rows of tapioca, cabbage, cauliflower, ginger and turmeric plants.

In a pen on the campus, hens and ducks cluck and quack noisily. The sisters have also been milking a cow and selling milk at the mission home.

More than a brand, a movement Stand “In Kozhikode when we first announced that Stand Last month, they sold 60 bags of three different kinds in a month and as many sets of nighties. Sr Ranit gives the credit to teamwork. “This all came from one person cutting the cloth, another stitching and another embroidering.

In one sitting The next exhibition could be even better, says Sr Ranit. The sisters will put up their wear at Nirangal. An annual event held They are earning “enough to get But what troubles the nuns is sudden expenditures which come with the territory of leading a secluded life.

“Sometimes, things just don’t work. A water pumping motor conking off sets us back We are still struggling to meet such expenditure,” says Sr Ranit. But they do not want charity, the sisters make it clear.

“We just want to live, our heads held high,” says Sr Ranit. Among the scattering of buildings that make this sprawling premises in Keralam's Kottayam district is a chapel. Right next to it is a corridor where three women are hard at work at their sewing machines.

They make elegant, comfortable dresses and functional sling and tote bags – all customised to the wishes of their patrons. Embroidery seems to be their specialty as is evident in the modest and dainty nightgowns put up on display on mannequins. It could be a humble boutique running out of a home.

Except, this is not just about any home. The women behind the sewing machines are no ordinary women either. A blue signboard next to the Pala-Vaikkom state highway announces the St Francis Mission Home.

It is this premises, accessed For the last eight years, it is all that their world has been confined to. In 2018, Sr Ranit lodged a rape police complaint against the then Bishop of Jalandhar, Franco Mulakkal. The Home is affiliated to this congregation.

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In 2022, a trial court acquitted Mulakkal on the grounds that there was lack of proof and inconsistencies in the survivor’s statements. Sr Ranit, who moved the High Court against the acquittal, is awaiting a hearing.

Ostracised In 2023, their clothing brand ‘Stand From distraction to source of livelihood On how the venture began, Sr Ranit says they would often get calls from Sisters in Solidarity – a loose collective of nuns, former nuns, ally priests, and other victims of sexual violence that was formed in 2018, the year she began her fight. “They would ask us, ‘Are you still weeping?' Why don’t you do some stitching and keep yourself engaged?

It started as a distraction, the stitching.” she says. But soon, the so-called distraction took the shape of necessity as the trio stopped getting sustenance funds from their congregation and had to look for ways to fend for themselves. “We had one sewing machine at first.

Then some well wishers asked what we needed to go on. We said we would like another sewing machine,” Sr Ranit tells The Indian Express. Now, the sisters have five regular machines, another for embroidery, and one exclusively dedicated to lock-stitching.

Sitting in her convent, Sr Ranit says the name 'Stand “They said that they would stand That they are with us. So ‘Stand “It would be about standing It was the name closest to the cause we believed in and we stood for.” Coincidentally, Stand ” The brand developed as the sisters went along. “We just wanted to stitch something.

Then customers gave us suggestions. Like someone said there should be a laptop sleeve for the bag that she wanted us to stitch. We heard everyone out, all the customers, and came up with nighties, salwar kameez and bags which were custom-made.” The raw material came from their well wishers.

“There were several people who brought us raw material for stitching. We even went searching for them ourselves,” says Sr Ranit. Besides the clothing brand, the sisters grow their own vegetables and rear poultry.

“We are supposed to get Rs 5,000 per month (from the congregation) as support funds. However, we have not been getting it. So, we decided to grow vegetables, sew… do everything we can to keep the Home going,” says Sr Ranit.

The tracts around the Home now have rows of tapioca, cabbage, cauliflower, ginger and turmeric plants. In a pen on the campus, hens and ducks cluck and quack noisily. The sisters have also been milking a cow and selling milk at the mission home.

More than a brand, a movement Stand “In Kozhikode when we first announced that Stand Last month, they sold 60 bags of three different kinds in a month and as many sets of nighties. Sr Ranit gives the credit to teamwork. “This all came from one person cutting the cloth, another stitching and another embroidering.

In one sitting The next exhibition could be even better, says Sr Ranit. The sisters will put up their wear at Nirangal. An annual event held They are earning “enough to get But what troubles the nuns is sudden expenditures which come with the territory of leading a secluded life.

“Sometimes, things just don’t work. A water pumping motor conking off sets us back We are still struggling to meet such expenditure,” says Sr Ranit. But they do not want charity, the sisters make it clear.

“We just want to live, our heads held high,” says Sr Ranit.