An Indian court has decided that a nun in the state of Kerala will be allowed to practice as a lawyer, overturning a rule that keeps people with other jobs from becoming lawyers.
Sister Teena Jose, a nun at the Kerala-based Congregation of Mother Carmel, applied to start practicing law after graduating from law school last year, but the lawyer's association rejected her application because it does not allow people who already work in another profession to join.
``Every citizen in India has a right to take up any profession,'' said Sister Jose, who is 33 years old. ``It was injustice that I was denied permission to become a lawyer only because I am a nun,'' she said.
Together with another nun and a priest who also have legal aspirations, Sister Jose brought her problem to the court, which decided that the rule only applied to people whose other job paid them money.
The court said that people do not become nuns and priests to make money, but to express their religious beliefs. It went on to say that if people choose to become nuns and priests, "that itself is not enough to reject their applications and to ban them from practicing law.''
``I am really happy,'' Sister Jose said after the decision. ``I want to become a lawyer and (help) the poor.'' (AP)
印度某法院推翻了從事他職者不得擔任律師的規定，判決喀拉拉一名修女將可出任律師。
喀拉拉「卡麥兒修女聖會」的蒂娜．荷西修女去年自法學院畢業後，便申請擔任律師，但律師協會以不准其他專業從業人員加入為由，拒絕了她的申請。
現年三十三歲的荷西修女說：「印度每位公民都有從事任何工作的權利。」她說：「只因我是修女就不讓我成為律師，是不公平的。」
荷西修女連同其他兩名也有志從事律師一職的修女和神父向法院提告，結果法院判決這項規定只適用於從事其他有給職者。
該法院表示，民眾成為修女和神父不是為了賺錢，而是個人宗教信仰的表現。法院還說，假使民眾選擇成為修女及神父，「也不構成拒絕他們申請及禁止他們擔任律師的條件。」
荷西修女在判決結果出爐後說：「我真的很高興。我想成為律師幫助窮人。」 （美聯社／翻譯：林倩如）
閱讀測驗
1. When did Sister Jose graduate from law school?
a. One week ago.
b. One month ago.
c. One year ago.
2. People aren't allowed to practice law in Kerala if they ...
a. are women.
b. are Christian.
c. have another job.
3. Why doesn't the law apply to Sister Jose?
a. She graduated from law school.
b. Being a nun isn't a job.
c. She doesn't get paid to be a nun.
4. According to the court, why do people become nuns?
a. To make money.
b. To express their beliefs.
c. To help the poor.
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