Marco Rupnik – A Star Who Fell From Grace – The Press Demands Removal
Marko Rupnik, a priest who was dismissed from the Jesuits’ Society in 2023 and who is accused of committing serious sexual, spiritual and psychological abuse against women, continues to be a headliner in the media.
Rupnik’s appearance in the 2024 Pontifical Yearbook as a still-Jesuit and a consultant to the Vatican raises questions among Catholic activists.
The Pontifical Yearbook/ Annuario Pontificio is the annual directory of the Holy See of the Catholic Church. It lists the popes and all officials of the Vatican’s departments. It also provides names and contact information for all cardinals and bishops, the dioceses (with statistics), the departments of the Roman Curia, the Holy See’s diplomatic missions abroad, the embassies accredited to the Holy See, the headquarters of religious institutes, certain academic institutions, and other similar information.
Among other Rupnik-topics are the questions of it is discussed whether or not his artworks should be still considered sacred art and whether or not they should be removed from churches. Here are some recent quotes from the news media:
While it is far short of the sort of justice that this case demands, we have reached beyond the point in the Father Marko Rupnik scandal when concrete steps must be taken to remove the disgraced artist’s ubiquitous mosaics from public display. – National Catholic Register
A Washington, D.C., Knights of Columbus council has called for chapel mosaics created by disgraced artist Fr. Marko Rupnik to be removed from the area’s St. John Paul II Shrine, which is sponsored by the Knights of Columbus fraternal organization. – The Pillar
A petition with over 5,000 signatures was recently launched to demand the removal of the mosaics created by priest and artist Marko Rupnik. – Le Monde
“Repugnant works against the faith and abuse victims: they must be dismantled.” In the USA, as in France, authoritative groups of Catholics are moving to destroy and dismantle sacred artworks of the former Jesuit (still a priest) accused of very serious sexual and psychological violence by several women. – Il Messaggero
In recent months, two former religious sisters had decided to come out and report the alleged abuse they suffered. Last October, Pope Francis decided to waive the statute of limitations to allow a trial to take place – Rai News
