An attorney representing five women who assert they were sexually and spiritually abused by Rev. Marko Ivan Rupnik, a Slovenian Jesuit priest and renowned religious artist, has issued a formal critique of the Vatican’s confidential judicial processes. The lawyer, Laura Sgro, submitted a letter to Vatican officials demanding clarification on the status of the canonical investigation into Rupnik following reports that he had been absolved in a church tribunal.
The case centers on allegations dating back decades. The scandal emerged in late 2022 when Italian media outlets reported misconduct claims against Rupnik involving women and nuns. The Jesuits acknowledged that Rupnik was briefly excommunicated in 2020 for using the confessional to absolve a woman with whom he had engaged in sexual activity. However, the Vatican declined to prosecute claims from other women, citing the age of the allegations and the fact that the complainants were adults at the time of the alleged incidents rather than minors. Following mounting pressure regarding the handling of the case, Pope Francis in 2023 waived the statute of limitations to permit a canonical trial to proceed. The Jesuits expelled Rupnik from their order in 2023 after numerous women came forward with allegations spanning three decades.
Sgro’s letter highlights the restrictive nature of canonical investigations, which limit victim participation and access to information. Victims in such proceedings function as third-party witnesses without the ability to participate in secret proceedings, access case files, or receive notification of investigation status. Only through a 2019 reform by Pope Francis are victims permitted knowledge of final case outcomes. The attorney questioned how the church’s approach aligns with stated commitments to supporting abuse survivors.
International bodies and abuse inquiries have repeatedly criticized the Vatican’s canonical investigation procedures as potentially retraumatizing to survivors due to their secrecy and opacity. French experts conducting a 2021 review of clergy abuse found that the Vatican’s canonical processes may violate its obligations as a United Nations observer state and Council of Europe member regarding victim rights. Supporters of Rupnik have characterized the allegations as unproven and disputed.
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