Jesuit timeline: Rupnik preached Lenten sermon to Curia after he had been found guilty
December 19, 2022
On December 18, the Society of Jesus published a timeline of the canonical cases against Father Marko Rupnik, the Jesuit theologian and artist who founded the Centro Aletti for East-West cultural dialogue in Rome.
Father Rupnik’s stature was raised instantly in March 2020 when he substituted for the Preacher of the Papal Household, Father (now Cardinal) Raniero Cantalamessa, in preaching the first Lenten sermon to the Roman Curia.
The Jesuits offered the following timeline into the first of his two canonical offenses, the absolution of an accomplice in a sin against the Sixth Commandment:
- October 2018: Allegations of absolution of an accomplice by Father Rupnik were received by a Jesuit official in Rome; the Society set up a preliminary investigation
- May 2019: The investigation found the allegations credible and referred the matter to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF)
- June 2019: Restrictions were imposed by Father Johan Verschueren, SJ (Rupnik’s superior)
- July 2019: The CDF asked the Society to set up a penal administrative process
- January 2020: The judges (none of whom are Jesuits) unanimously found that there was indeed absolution of an accomplice
- May 2020: “A decree of excommunication is issued by the CDF; the excommunication is lifted by a CDF decree later that month.”
Father Arturo Sosa, the Jesuit Superior General, had said earlier, “So he was excommunicated. How do you lift an excommunication? The person has to recognize it and has to repent, which he did.”
Father Rupnik had designed the official logo of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy (2015-16). In 2016, Pope Francis celebrated Mass at the Centro Aletti to mark the center’s 25th anniversary. Later, Father Rupnik painted the official image of the Tenth World Meeting of Families, which was organized by the Dicastery for Laity, Family, and Life and took place in June 2022.
The “precautionary restrictions” that the Jesuits had imposed in this first canonical case, according to the Associated Press, included restrictions on “hearing confessions, giving spiritual direction or leading spiritual exercises.”
Father Sosa has said that he “could imagine” that the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (Cardinal Luis Ladaria Ferrer, SJ) had discussed the case with Pope Francis. If the Pontiff knew of the January 2020 finding of guilt and nonetheless consented to Rupnik’s March 2020 sermon to himself and the members of Curia (including the members of the CDF who would later decree the punishment in his case), then the Pope’s presumed consent could plausibly be interpreted as a manifestation of exceptionally strong personal support for Rupnik.
The Jesuits also offered the following timeline into the second of his two canonical offenses, the absolution of an accomplice in a sin against the Sixth Commandment, the “allegations concerning members of Loyola Community.” The community is located in Rupnik’s native Slovenia, and a source in the Diocese of Rome told ACI Prensa that Auxiliary Bishop Daniele Libanori of Rome has “received accusations from at least nine women” (emphasis added).
- June 2021: CDF contacted the Society of Jesus about these allegations
- July 2021: The Society set up a preliminary investigation led by a non-Jesuit; restrictions were imposed by Father Verschueren.
- January 2022: The investigation concluded, and the results were sent to CDF with a recommendation of a penal process
- October 2022: The CDF determined the events are barred by the canonical statute of limitations; the restrictions on the ministry of Father Rupnik continue
Despite the limited restrictions that have been imposed on Father Rupnik’s ministry—including a restriction against preaching spiritual exercises—Father Rupnik is nonetheless still scheduled to preach spiritual exercises at the Pontifical Sanctuary of the Holy House of Loreto for five days in February, according to the Vatican website.
In his December 18 statement, Father Verschueren invited abuse victims of Father Rupnik to come forward and provided an email for them to do so.
“I invite anyone who wishes to make a new complaint or who wants to discuss complaints already made to contact me,” Father Verschueren said. “People can write in English, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch and German.”
Notably absent from the list of languages in which abuse victims may provide information about new cases, or provide additional information about existing cases, are Slovene and Serbo-Croatian—the principal languages of Slovenia, where Rupnik is alleged to have sexually abused at least nine women.
For all current news, visit our News home page.
Further information:
All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a current donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!
