Trouble is in sight for Pope Francis. The victims of sexual and power abuse by Father Marko Rupnik, the ex-Jesuit Slovenian artist, protected by many cardinals and expelled from the Order founded by Saint Ignatius last year, have decided to come forward: they are tired of how the Vatican is handling a case of abuse comparable in cover-ups to that of ex-cardinal McCarrik. The legal case of Rupnik is still open despite repeated complaints at various levels of the hierarchy for twenty years, without ever having produced any reduction to the lay state of the priest, a world-famous artist, whose mosaics adorn the main shrines in the world (also in Lateran, in the Apostolic Palace and in San Giovanni Rotondo).
For the first time since the case broke out, a nun who for years has been the subject of sexual and spiritual abuse will appear in public and at a press conference in Rome to be held on Wednesday will tell her story and what happened. She found courage together with another woman, a former nun, who suffered for years the abuse of power by Rupnik. At the press conference both will explain that they reported the events to the Jesuits in the early Nineties but nothing ever moved. Both belonged to the religious community co-founded by Rupnik in the late '80s.
The Rupnik case exploded internationally a few years ago, undergoing alternating phases, until the famous excommunication of the Dicastery of Faith. It was imposed on him two years ago although a few months later it was cancelled by another measure from above. It remains a mystery who could have decided it, also because such serious and extraordinary acts generally depend only on the pontiff. What really happened in the Vatican, behind the scenes, is not known, the fact remains that Pope Francis last year decided to reopen a new case against Rupnik. From the few pieces of information gathered, it seems that the case is no longer being handled by the Tribunal of the Dicastery of Faith - where violence and abuses are generally evaluated - but by the Dicastery of Religious, notoriously rather merciful and bland to the point of being nicknamed in the curia 'the port of fogs'.
The victims of Rupnik say they have suffered violence twice. First with the sexual, spiritual or power abuses of the priest and then, subsequently, with the silence on the part of the hierarchies who have repeatedly rejected their complaints. They will also ask the Church to establish a fund dedicated to religious women sexually and spiritually abused by the clergy. With them will be Anna Barrett Doyle, long-time co-director of BishopAccountability.org, the US-based research group that has documented the global abuse crisis from the Boston Globe case. 'This case represents not only the church's continued protection of powerful abusers, but its particular indifference to sexual abuse on adult women' she said. The nuns will be defended by the rota lawyer Laura Sgrò.
The Jesuits, after expelling Rupnik last year, made an appeal to all victims to come forward and report the violence. Many are afraid, others are ashamed. In February 2023, they announced that they had heard 15 women whose accusations were found credible. Rupnik, however, still remains a priest for the Church, having never been reduced to the lay state.
'Despite all the controversy - the organizers of the press conference explain - Pope Francis has twice taken public measures in apparent support of Rupnik. First he gave an audience to the theologian who runs the Aletti Center in Rome and who staunchly defends Rupnik. Then he allowed the diocese of Rome to release a statement that seemed to rehabilitate him in turn'. Pope Francis has so far never met the victims of Rupnik in the Vatican, nor ever responded to their letters or appeals.
Along with the victim sexually abused by the infamous ex-Jesuit artist, another woman, a former nun, who suffered for years the abuse of power by Rupnik, will also speak. At the press conference, the women will explain that they reported the facts to the Jesuits in the early Nineties even though nothing ever moved. They will ask for justice, to have the truth. Both belonged to the religious community co-founded by Rupnik at the end of the '80s.
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