With a degree of credibility that "seems to be very high," another 14 women and one man have reported to the Jesuits that they were spiritually, psychologically or sexually abused by Jesuit Father Marko Rupnik, a well-known mosaic artist and spiritual director.
Jesuit Father Johan Verschueren, Father Rupnik's immediate superior in Rome, issued a statement Feb. 21 saying the new allegations involve incidents that took place between the mid-1980s and 2018.
With a "firm intention to proceed with measures to ensure that situations similar to those reported will not occur again," Father Verschueren said the Jesuits will begin an internal process that "may result in disciplinary action," but in the meantime, he has strengthened the restrictions on Father Rupnik's ministry by forbidding him from doing any artistic work in public, and especially not in churches or chapels.
Father Rupnik already has been barred from hearing confessions, offering spiritual direction and leading retreats, and he is required to have the permission of his superior before leaving Rome, publishing articles or books or engaging in any public ministry.
The Jesuits confirmed those restrictions in December after Italian blogs and news sites reported that he had been accused of spiritually and sexually abusing adult women members of the Loyola Community, a new religious community founded in Father Rupnik's native Slovenia. The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith closed the case in October because the statute of limitations had passed.
A few weeks later, Father Arturo Sosa, the Jesuit superior general, was forced to admit that the dicastery had confirmed Father Rupnik's excommunication in 2020 after finding him guilty of violating the sacrament of confession by granting absolution to a consecrated Italian woman with whom he had had sex. The excommunication was lifted less than a month later when Father Rupnik admitted his wrongdoing, repented and wrote a formal request for forgiveness, Father Sosa said.
Father Verschueren provided more information about the new allegations and the investigation to the Associated Press and La Repubblica, an Italian newspaper, the day before publishing his statement. He told them the new allegations came from 14 women and one man, that they were credible and confirmed a "pattern" of psychological, sexual and spiritual abuse, and abuse of conscience.
"Many of these people did not know one another and the facts narrated refer to different periods" of Father Rupnik's life and ministry -- from his ministry with the Loyola Community to his artistic and spirituality work at the Centro Aletti, the Rome community where he lives and has his art studio, the statement said.
Father Verschueren said Father Rupnik declined to speak to the team that conducted the investigation and interviewed the 15 newly identified survivors, but he was informed of the accusations and the investigators' recommendations.
Since the accusations do not appear to involve the sacraments or the abuse of minors, the case will not be sent to the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, the statement said, but will be handled internally by the Jesuits. Father Rupnik will be asked to respond, and the process could lead to further disciplinary measures, including being dismissed from the order.
