Pope Leo XIV Urges Patience as Vatican Opens Trial on Father Marko Rupnik Abuse Case
Pope Leo XIV has appealed for patience from the accusers of Father Marko Rupnik as the Vatican begins a formal trial into allegations of sexual, psychological, and spiritual abuse against the former Jesuit priest.
Speaking to journalists outside his Castel Gandolfo residence, the pope confirmed that judges have been appointed to oversee the case. “A new trial has recently begun. I know it’s very difficult for the victims to be patient, but the Church must respect the rights of all,” he said. “The principle of innocent until proven guilty is also true in the Church.”
The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith announced last month that a five-judge panel will handle the disciplinary process. The investigation was reopened in 2023 after Pope Francis lifted the statute of limitations on the case. Rupnik, a globally known artist whose mosaics adorn major Catholic shrines, has been accused by several women religious of abuse dating back to the 1980s and 1990s.
The priest was excommunicated in 2020 for absolving an accomplice in a sexual sin — a penalty later lifted by Pope Francis — and was expelled from the Jesuit order in June 2023 for disobedience.
Pope Leo acknowledged ongoing debate over whether Rupnik’s artwork should remain displayed in churches, given the trauma it may cause survivors. He noted that some institutions have already covered or removed the mosaics out of sensitivity to victims.
The Centro Aletti, the art and theology center Rupnik founded, has over 230 works installed in churches worldwide, including the shrines of Our Lady of Lourdes in France and Our Lady of Aparecida in Brazil. The Vatican itself houses several of his mosaics.
While some Church leaders defend the art’s spiritual value, others — including the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors — have urged its removal to avoid appearing to defend accused clergy.
In an earlier interview, Pope Leo described the abuse crisis as a grave challenge that must be handled with both justice for victims and respect for due process. “We must find balance,” he said, “so that the Church remains faithful to her mission of healing and truth.”
Comment here