(LifeSiteNews) — (Reader advisory: Explicit details of sexual abuse are mentioned in this article.)
Vatican News has once again showcased disgraced Father Marko Rupnik’s artwork to celebrate a major holiday, this time the Feast of the Assumption.
On Thursday the official Vatican media outlet published an article to commemorate the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, headed by Rupnik’s depiction of the scene. Vatican News chose to honor the Slovenian priest in this way even though dozens of accusations of sexual abuse have been lodged against Rupnik, who has been expelled from the Jesuit order.
The outlet’s decision was immediately decried as “sick” and a “taunt” to the victims of the serial abuser.
“Vatican News continues to show complete disregard for the victims of clerical sexual abuse with the continued use of the artwork of Marko Rupnik on the holiest days of the year. This is sick and needs to stop,” wrote media group Catholic Sat on X.
Vatican News continues to show complete disregard for the victims of clerical sexual abuse with the continued use of the artwork of Marko Rupnik on the holiest days of the year. This is sick and needs to stop. https://t.co/uLJwSUYo2V pic.twitter.com/0ZMiO0aUKC
— Catholic Sat (@CatholicSat) August 15, 2024
“The people behind Vatican News continue to taunt the victims of rapist Marko Rupnik,” remarked Catholic Arena on X. “They have hijacked the Feast of the Assumption today to promote the rapist, who forced nuns to drink his semen from a chalice and who used abuse in the creative process for his Satanic art.”
Rupnik’s abuse was indeed described by at least one sister as “satanic” and blasphemous. The former member of Rupnik’s now-suppressed Loyal Community stated, as an example, that he encouraged her to join in “threesomes with another sister from the Community, because sexuality had to be, according to him, free from possession, in the image of the Trinity where, he said, ‘the third gathered the relationship between the two.’”
RELATED: Rupnik’s center denounces ‘cancel culture’ of removing disgraced priest’s images
Rupnik has been 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.
He was also excommunicated for absolving a sexual accomplice in confession, but the penalty was swiftly revoked, an incident which sparked speculation of direct involvement by Pope Francis.
This is not the first time the Vatican has published the disgraced abuser’s artwork following the public airing of his deplorable crimes. Last year, the Synod on Synodality website used images created by Rupnik, provoking shocked outrage.
Earlier this summer, the pro–LGBT prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication, Dr. Paolo Ruffini, downplayed the sexual abuse scandals of Rupnik.
When reporters from left-wing America magazine and Our Sunday Visitor inquired about why the Vatican has not done more to remove Rupnik’s art from public viewing. Ruffini claimed that taking down Rupnik’s images, which Rupnik’s accusers attest are closely linked to his sexual abuse, would not help his victims with their pain.
“Do you think that if I pull away a photo of art from my website, our website, I would be more close to victims? Do you think so?” he told the Our Sunday Visitor reporter. “Removing, deleting, destroying art does not ever mean a good choice,” he continued. “This is not a Christian response.”
“We’re not talking about abuse of minors,” he said, thereby creating another scandal.
READ: Mary’s triumphant Assumption into heaven is as a day of glory for the Church