Allegations of sexual violence against an influential Slovenian priest and artist have rocked the Jesuit order of which Pope Francis is a member and reignited debate over the Church’s handling of such cases.
The media reported that 68yearold theologian and mosaic painter Marko Rupnik was accused of sexual and psychological violence by nine nuns in the municipality of Ljubljana, Slovenia, in the early 1990s.
The Jesuits, priests of one of the most important Catholic orders founded in 1540, have had to clarify in recent weeks the measures taken following revelations in the Italian press, which provoked violent reactions.
In midDecember, the Jesuit order in Rome admitted it had opened an investigation and imposed sanctions on Father Rupnik, who later became director of a cultural center in the Italian capital.
The Dicastery (equivalent to a ministry for the Vatican government) for the Doctrine of the Faith received a complaint about “the relations between Father Rupnik and the consecrated adults of the Loyola community in Slovenia,” confirmed Father Arturo Sosa, Superior General of the Jesuits. He claims that the lawsuit does not relate to minors.
The Vatican ended the case in October without a canonical inquiry, merely imposing a ban on Father Rupnik receiving confessions and attending spiritual activities.
Also accused of having sex with a woman and acquitted, the priest was briefly excommunicated by the Vatican in 2020, the highest possible sanction, immediately suspended.
“In order to lift the excommunication, the person must acknowledge the fact and formally repent. What Rupnik did,” explained Father Sosa.
When asked if the Pope was involved in the case, Father Sosa replied: “Before making the decision, I assume that the prefect of the Dicastery met the Pope. But I can’t confirm it.”
In an interview with Italian investigative newspaper Domani, a 58yearold nun said she was “psychologically influenced” by Rupnik to force her to have sex with him.
The same nun says about 20 sisters suffered the same acts. She believes that the priest was “protected” by his hierarchy during the omertà and claims that all his complaints have gone unanswered since the 1990s.
Under pressure, the Jesuit Order released the chronology of events and launched an appeal to report any new cases.
Contacted by AFP, the Vatican which has never officially disclosed the case declined to comment.
On Thursday (29th) the Slovenian bishops expressed their “dismay” and “sadness” and denounced “impermissible” acts that have remained untouched for years.
“We deplore the inability of those responsible to take necessary action, the covering up of acts of sexual and spiritual violence, and the abuse of power and authority,” they said.