WASHINGTON, D.C. (LifeSiteNews) — The Knights of Columbus have announced that after more than a year’s deliberation, they will take measures to hide the mosaics of Father Marko Rupnik at the St. John Paul II National Shrine and in their national headquarters.
In a press release issued on July 11, the Knights of Columbus (KOC) revealed they intend to hide the huge and imposing Rupnik mosaics present at key centers.
Describing their review of the Rupnik mosaics, which began in June 2023, as “a careful and thorough process,” the Knights stated that they would now be hidden, both at the D.C. St. John Paul II National Shrine that they run and in their Holy Family Chapel at the Knights’ headquarters in New Haven, Connecticut:
“As a result of this review, the Knights of Columbus will cover the mosaics in fabric, which will remain in place at least until the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) issues its decision on the pending sexual abuse cases against artist Father Marko Rupnik, at which time a permanent plaster covering may be in order.”
A native of Slovenia, Rupnik is accused of having abused numerous women, and at least one man, in a variety of forms – sexual, spiritual, physical and psychological. The abuse is reported to have taken place against at least 21 of the 40-strong Loyola Community of religious women, which he co-founded in his native Slovenia. A further 15 alleged victims have come forward since his case became public knowledge in December 2022.
READ: Alleged victims of Father Rupnik call for ‘truth and justice’ as answers demanded from Vatican
Writing under a pseudonym “Anna” in December 2022, one alleged victim and former member of Rupnik’s community stated that “his sexual obsession was not extemporaneous but deeply connected to his conception of art and his theological thinking. Father Marko at first slowly and gently infiltrated my psychological and spiritual world by appealing to my uncertainties and frailties while using my relationship with God to push me to have sexual experiences with him.”
“The Knights of Columbus has decided to cover these mosaics because our first concern must be for victims of sexual abuse, who have already suffered immensely, and who may be further injured by the ongoing display of the mosaics at the Shrine,” said Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly. “This decision is rooted in a foundational purpose of the Knights of Columbus, which is to protect families, especially women and children, and those who are vulnerable and voiceless.”
Kelly added that the consultation process had involved “individual victims of sexual abuse and those who minister to them, individual pilgrims, moral theologians and art historians, as well as bishops and other clergy.”
The feedback had not been unanimous, he commented, though he added there “was a strong consensus to prioritize the needs of victims, especially because the allegations are current, unresolved, and horrific.”
Kelly cited the recent announcement by the bishop of Lourdes, who decided he would not illuminate the Rupnik mosaics on the shrine basilica’s facade. That decision had taken some 15 months to be reached.
According to the press release from the KOC, they further intend to carry out a range of actions aimed at expressing “solidarity with victims of sexual abuse,” including:
- Providing educational materials about the mosaics that will make clear that the continued display of the mosaics at the shrine during the process of consultation was not intended to ignore, deny, or diminish the allegations of abuse;
- Including in all shrine Masses a prayer of the faithful for victims of sexual abuse;
- Specially commemorating at the shrine the feast days of saints with a special connection to victims of abuse, such as St. Josephine Bakhita
The future of the prominent Rupnik mosaics at the KOC’s chapels has been under scrutiny since late spring 2023.
The John Paul II Shrine is heavily adorned with images by disgraced ex-Jesuit Rupnik and his Rome-based Centro Aletti art center. The thousands of annual visitors to the shrine can see his work in the shrine’s Redemptor Hominis Church along with the Luminous Mysteries Chapel.
In addition, Rupnik made his first work in the U.S. at the Knights of Columbus headquarters in Connecticut in 2005.
The scandal surrounding him became public in December 2022, but since then, the priest has continued to enjoy a relatively full life and has received continued promotion from the Vatican and Pope Francis himself.
After international outcry over Vatican promotion of the disgraced priest, Pope Francis announced in October that Rupnik was subject to an investigation by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith for said abuse. The credibility of the well-documented allegations of Rupnik’s serial abuse is deemed to be “very high” by his former superiors, and the Vatican’s investigation into the case is said to be at a “fairly advanced stage.”
READ: Vatican official says 77% of cases sent to discipline office are about child abuse
Both the Knights’ decision and that by the bishop of Lourdes came shortly after Cardinal Sean O’Malley wrote to the Roman Curia urging them not to use Rupnik’s images.
The Boston cardinal, prefect of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors (PCPM), who turned 80 days after issuing his letter, wrote of his hope that “pastoral prudence would prevent displaying artwork in a way that could imply either exoneration or a subtle defense” of an alleged abuser “or indicate indifference to the pain and suffering of so many victims of abuse.”
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