The Vatican communications chief, Dr. Paolo Ruffini, faces mounting criticism from voices across the spectrum of opinion in the Church after he defended—on Friday, at the premier Catholic media event of the year in the United States—the use of digital and other reproductions of artwork by the accused serial rapist, Fr. Marko Ivan Rupnik.
A worldwide public scandal
You may not have heard Rupnik’s name, but if you are a Catholic who has darkened the door of a church in the past decade, you’ve seen his work. He designed the logo for the Year of Mercy. Rupnik’s Centro Aletti studio has an interactive catalog showing where Rupnik pieces and installations are in the world.
Rupnik is accused of sexually, psychologically, and spiritually abusing dozens of victims—mostly women religious—over a period of thirty years.
Rupnik lived and worked right under the noses of his erstwhile Jesuit superiors and enjoyed the favor of three popes, starting with St. John Paul II. Rupnik became a celebrated mosaic artist. His works adorn hundreds of shrines and chapels around the world.
Reports of Rupnik’s depravity—and of its improbable management by senior Jesuits and the Vatican—began to come before the public in December 2022, but the Vatican’s official media have continued to use digital and other reproductions of his works even in the face of intense outcry from victims, their advocates, and the general public within and without the Church.
The Vatican had also been dodging journalists’ questions about their continued use of them, which is one reason journalists were eager to speak with Ruffini.
When asked to explain his dicastery’s policy, Ruffini said, “We’re not talking about abuse of minors.”
“We are talking [about] a story that we don’t know,” Ruffini also said. “Who am I to judge the Rupnik stories?” Ruffini said.
The Jesuits believe the victims. The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith believed there was a case to answer, but declined to prosecute because the charges were statute-barred (even though there was mountainous evidence and ample opportunity to confront witnesses).
Rupnik’s Jesuit superiors reportedly knew of allegations against him in the 1990s, but either turned a blind eye or else attempted to discredit his accusers. Eventually, another Jesuit got Rome to pay attention, but the competent authority declined—on a flimsy technicality—to prosecute.
The Jesuits expelled Rupnik—for disobedience, not for raping people—and a diocese in his native Slovenia picked him up, saying in essence that he’d never been convicted of any crime and therefore deserved a chance.
The Rupnik affair had been a worldwide public scandal for nine months when that part happened. News of it triggered incandescent global outrage and intense pressure from senior churchmen, after which Pope Francis reversed course and ordered a review of the whole business.
A disastrous performance
By any objective standard, and even allowing for Ruffini’s imperfect command of English, the performance was a disaster. I wasn’t there, but I listened to an audio recording of Ruffini’s speech and the Q&A that followed it. I can say it was not an edifying experience in the usual sense of the term.
That two journalists seized the opportunity Ruffini offered—Colleen Dulle of America Magazine and Paulina Guzik of OSV News—was indeed a relief. They asked the right questions. They did the job.
From my conversations with folks who were there and in the know, it appears that Ruffini’s decision to open the floor after his set piece was something of a surprise. From a comms perspective, it certainly was a big risk. Even if he believed he was in friendly company, a room full of scribblers is never a safe place. At least it shouldn’t be a safe space for anyone with anything like Ruffini’s brief.
In any case, folks are calling for Ruffini’s resignation.
That’s what happens to a fellow who makes himself an apologist for rape art, even when he isn’t the head flak for a fellow who leads an organization with the kinds of troubles the Catholic Church has—most of them self-inflicted—to the degree the Church has them.
Friday was a very bad day for Ruffini, in other words, but Ruffini ought not to be the sole or even the primary focus of attention.
Ruffini is the mouthpiece of a man whose modus gubernandi is aptly illustrated by names like Inzoli, Ricca, Danneels, Barros, Errazuriz, Ezzati and Barbarin, Zanchetta, Vangheluwe, Ricard, even if its epitome is Rupnik.
Ruffini reminds me of the exchange between Cardinal Wolsey and Sir Thomas More, in which Wolsey presents More with the brief they’ve drawn up to petition Rome for a declaration of nullity.
Wolsey invites More to inspect the document before he sends it. More notes that the document is addressed not to England’s ambassador to the papal court, but to Lorenzo Cardinal Campeggio.
“It’s addressed to Cardinal Campeggio,” More notices, “not our ambassador.”
“Our ambassador’s a ninny,” Wolsey says. “Your Grace appointed him,” More replies. “Yes,” returns Wolsey, “I need a ninny in Rome! So that I can write to Cardinal Campeggio!”
What now?
Ruffini is in his job because he is the sort as will be an apologist for rape art, not despite his being such a fellow.
Now that the heat is really on, Pope Francis can fire Ruffini, if he wants to. Basically, there are four possibilities:
- Ruffini keeps his job and the Rupniks come down;
- Ruffini keeps his job and the Rupniks stay up;
- Ruffini loses his job and the Rupniks come down;
- Ruffini loses his job and the Rupniks stay up.
None of those is a perfect or really any sort of solution. This is a communications disaster unlike any I can recall in twenty years on the beat, but it is not only—or even primarily—a communications disaster.
This is a crisis of government, which in turn is exacerbating a crisis of credibility that jeopardizes the whole Church’s ability to serve her core mission.
The Rupnik Affair encapsulates the crisis of the Church’s inability to deliver justice. The Rupnik affair demonstrates very precisely the Church’s care for victims—especially adult victims—of abuse. The Rupnik Affair is emblematic of a clerical and hierarchical leadership culture that is too often rotten and putrescent.
I can’t guess what Pope Francis will do, but there’s no need to guess what he has done.
Francis used a Rupnik icon as a prop in a video message he sent to participants in a Marian congress meeting in Aparecida, Brazil. That was a year ago this month. Francis has never apologized or even attempted to explain it. I don’t think any of the journalists who have interviewed him in the meantime have asked.
Last year, one could still just cling to the faint hope that Francis really didn’t know—at least not in any significant detail—what Rupnik is accused of doing. The only other possibility was that he just doesn’t care.
He may have forgotten that the piece he used in the video message was a Rupnik, but he has people whose job it is to tell him things like that. Francis, however, is not a man to be told. He also prefers not to work within traditional communications structures.
Then, some folks in his comms dicastery apparently like Rupnik very much, and some of them are high in the ranks.
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The stench of the Rupnik scandal is the hallmark of this repellent papacy.
The Ruffinis come and go. They’re only distractions.
Make no mistake. The primary actor in this rank, fetid, odiferous corruption is Bergoglio himself.
I am grateful to Mr. Altieri and CWR for shining light into the recesses of this Dark Vatican’s nether regions so that the putrescence can be seen by all.
Agree 1,000%, Brineyman. The fish rots from the head down.
“When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when the wicked rule, the people groan.”
Proverbs 29:2
Esteemed Fool,
Is there any passage in Scripture about what makes the people lose their lunch?
Because that’s pretty much what happens to me whenever this Dark Vatican and its leaders are in the news.
brineyman, keep pounding the rock. Regarding my concerns about this pontificate, one friend called me Baby Ezekiel. I’ll take that as a compliment! 🤣
“Thus says the Lord GOD to the shepherds: ‘Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks? You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool; you slaughter the fatlings, but you do not feed the flock. The weak you have not strengthened, nor have you healed those who were sick, nor bound up the broken, nor brought back what was driven away, nor sought what was lost; but with force and cruelty you have ruled them…My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and on every high hill; yes, My flock was scattered over the whole face of the earth, and no one was seeking or searching for them.” ‘Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord GOD, ‘surely because My flock became a prey, and My flock became food for every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, nor did My shepherds search for My flock, but the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed My flock’— therefore, O shepherds, hear the word of the LORD! Thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require My flock at their hand; I will cause them to cease feeding the sheep, and the shepherds shall feed themselves no more; for I will deliver My flock from their mouths, that they may no longer be food for them.’”
Ezekiel 34
Thanks to Mr. Altieri for his dogged efforts.
My impressions of this latest disaster:
At a minimum, Dr. PR gives the distinct impression that this pontificate does not care about justice for anyone that is expendable to the prestige of Pope Francis.
Sola Misericordia = pastoral heresy. This pontificate perseverates on the ideological agenda to render orthodoxy meaningless by widespread heteropraxy. Orthopraxy is being contracepted.
Are the so-called mainstream media on to this story (yet)?
PF will keep Ruffini/Rupinik/Fernandez/Whoever as long as doing so does not threaten his own position. If he sees that to depose them is a better move, he will do it.
I agree that Ruffini or Rupnik in themselves is nothing to focus on. They are important only because they express the spiritual force which moves them. The system which created them and allows them to go on is present everywhere in the Church, from the top to the bottom. If it wasn’t so we would not have a wide spread child sexual abuse in parishes. Rupnik is just another face of the old story, of abuse of all kinds.
The “real problem” is that as a Catholic I am no longer shocked by scandals, denials and cover ups at the Vatican. Now I expect them because they arrive with regularity. What I am going to do as of this Sunday is to still leave an envelope in the basket at collection time. In it will be no money but a note that says “too much coverup, too many scandals, no donation”. I a too old to arrange an online campaign, but perhaps some younger people can suggest that to all Catholics. We should not contribute a penny to the salary of Ruffini. Please organize that, instead of just getting upset.
Catholics ought to be unrelenting in any contacts they have personally with Bergoglio and/or any of those associated with the administration of this Vatican nightmare. At every opportunity, questioners should ask Bergoglio and those who work for him over and over again this question about Rupnik: “Holy Father what should be done with any cleric who abuses his ministerial office in the Church by sexually abusing those under his authority?” and “Holy Father, why do you persist in defending Rupnik by allowing him to function as a priest and why do you promote the art of someone who has committed such evil acts?”
Secondly, since the location of all of Rupnik’s “art” is published, I would not be at all surprised if protestors started wielding sledgehammers against them to deface what has been produced by such a reprehensible figure such as Rupnik. After all, two courageous young men from Austria were offended enough to travel to Rome, remove the Pachamama statue from a church near the Vatican and toss it unceremoniously into the Tiber.
Deacon Edward, sledge hammers are not the answer. Violence is to be avoided. Not entering those churches is the answer. Once that church is empty, the art is redundant. Gobto another church and hand out fliers that encourage others to go to the next church. Rupnik churches are less than 1% of churches. And leave a note every Sunday in the collection basket, and say : We will not donate to scandalous actors. Money talks. You know that.
Jonathan, please don’t misconstrue what I wrote. I am NOT advocating violence; never have nor never will. I simply stated that I WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED if someone took a sledgehammer to his art. These days I’m not surprised by much I’m afraid to say.
Deacon, thanks for your clarification.
Perhaps your suggestion of passive resistance is more in line with Jesus ‘s way.
“Rupnik Rape art retained in this church. Please pray a Hail Mary in reparation.” + addresses and Mass times of alternative parishes.
Altieri is absolutely correct in saying: “The Rupnik Affair is emblematic of a clerical and hierarchical leadership culture that is too often rotten and putrescent.” It should moreover be absolutely clear to everyone at this late stage that the heart of the rot and putrescence is Bergoglio himself. The Rupnik scandal, to mention only one of the scores of Bergoglian scandals that Altieri names, squarely presents the question that has been avoided for the past 11 years: how is it possible for Bergoglio to be considered a valid pope? The adamant refusal to address this by the Church at large and especially its cardinals and bishops dwarfs even the Rupnik scandal.
“…how is it possible for Bergoglio to be considered a valid pope?”
Whether a Pope is wise, holy, and judicious or not has no bearing on the validity of his election. We’ve had plenty of bad Popes in the history of the Church, and we’ll continue to have the good, the bad, and the ugly.
The claim that Bergoglio is just a “bad pope” like Alexander VI or Benedict X is a facile canard that is contradicted by objective facts. I invite you to read this statement of his crimes and heresies:
https://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2024/05/major-statement-crimes-and-heresies-of.html
Regardless of what he may or may not have done, as someone put it quite succinctly, the problem is not that Francis isn’t the Pope. The problem is that he IS the Pope. That’s an objective fact. But take courage; it won’t last forever, and the Africans won’t allow the next Pope be anything like this one. Their reaction to Fiducia Supplicans pretty much makes that clear. In any case, I’m not a Donatist.
So it is ok to not do anything, to just accept this?
“It’s not like he molested children, for crying out loud! All he did was lead trusting, innocent women who had placed themselves under his spiritual direction into depraved sex acts! Not like they weren’t old enough to be overdue to lose their virginity or something!”
Vatican Communications Dept.
Those of us close to those so debased and abused are not amused…sickened, is more the word.
“Ruffini is the mouthpiece of a man whose modus gubernandi is aptly illustrated by names like Inzoli, Ricca, Danneels, Barros, Errazuriz, Ezzati and Barbarin, Zanchetta, Vangheluwe, Ricard, even if its epitome is Rupnik” (Chris Altieri). Perhaps the strongest indictment of Pope Francis by Altieri despite its oblique reference to his ‘modus gubernandi’.
The consistent pattern of protection of known sexual abusers, virtually if not all homosexual, nonetheless crimes of deviant behavior, now Rupnik added to the list speaks to rationale. It’s not accidental. Rather it indicates favor, because there’s no parallel pattern of requirement for repentance.
A question that appears to relate to this ‘oddity’ is Pope Francis’ odd reluctance to celebrate Mass. He’s quite capable of holding meetings, meeting visitors, traveling abroad, and kissing the feet of prisoners during Lent. It’s been remarked that in comparison John Paul II offered Mass even when severely pained in end stage Parkinson’s. Might it be that what Francis holds dear is antithetical to whatever occurs at the altar?
“This is a crisis of government, which in turn is exacerbating a crisis of credibility that jeopardizes the whole Church’s ability to serve her core mission.”
The emperor’s clothes and leadership style are not new; they’ve been threadbare, tattered, stained, torn and worn for too many years, experiences, and public outings. We plainly see the truth hid under too many thin threads.
All clergy sex abuse and subsequent episcopal coverup is moral evil that cry to Heaven for justice and damages the Church. They all should be condemned and their perpetrators disciplined or defrocked. While there are indeed clergy heterosexual (like Rupnik’s) and pedophile sex predation abuses, it must be highlighted repeatedly that contrary to the prevailing dominant false narrative and disinformation promoted and spread by the Lavender Mafia (term coined by Father Andrew Greeley), that is the homosexually active, or inclined, or sympathetic priests and bishops, the sacred elephant in the room is that the majority of clergy sex abuse cases worldwide are actually homosexual predation sex abuse. This fact is best exemplified and amplified by the exposed homosexual Cardinals spotlighted in iconic samples of clergy homosexual predation sex abuse cases. They are Ted McCarrick of U.S.A., Keith O’Brien of Scotland, Hans Groer of Austria, and Francesco Coccopalmerio of Italy.
All these sorts of offenses should have first been turned over to law enforcement. Hopefully the Church has learned that lesson.
Do not hold your breath, please. As long as money keeps coming in, they have no reason to change. Stop donating and they will pay attention. And email Ruffini, the Pontif and bishops and say: we will not donate because of coverups.
Seems practical, IF the Church will not listen, go to the secular authorities. I believe this is a biblical principle.
About Rupnik the person VERSUS his controversial “art work”. . . What if framing the matter as this dichotomy is a mistake? Instead, the ghostly, blank-eyed stares of the mosaics, and Rupnik himself, both, should be seen equally as symptoms of a deeper and resurgent Albigensianism!
As latter-day Manichaeans, the Albigensians (Cathars) also disdained the human, cage-like body, but while still tolerating fornication and, also, condemning marriage. Today, with a blessing the termites enable the anti-binary, homosexual lifestyle, while marrying the Church itself to the post-Christian zeitgeist. Yes? But instead of southern France, now with a German accent: Der Synodale Weg wiggles to revamp all of sexual morality.
Rupnik’s contribution—to ravage the Church visually with one artful hand whilst also exploiting the expendable and meaningless bodies of virgins in habits, with the other. The Albigensian virus on steroids!
Otherwise, from whence cometh the in-step Ruffini defense that predation of nuns is still within bounds because they are not adolescent boys? And, from whence the second non-judgment (!) that we don’t know enough about Rupnik? A ghostly reincarnation of the equally-witless Sergeant Klink in the 1960s TV series “Hogan’s Heroes”: “I know nutthing, nuuuthing!”
The correct framing for all of the above: “But if your eye shall be bad, your entire body will be darkness; if therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great will be your darkness” (Mt 6:23).
SUMMARY: Synodal Albigensianism? How “backwardist” can you get?
God’s will shall be done, and when that happens the evil shall perish. pray for that day to occur swiftly so a remnant of honest and faithful will still exist; and a holy Church with humility, kindness and charity can continue to fulfill the will of Almighty God……we have forfeited our opportunity to affect a lasting correction, as there are no visible candidates who are willing to sacrifice their cushy jobs and life to make the needed final correction. Jesus Christ, Son of God, we beg for your mercy, we are all sinners.
This attempt to make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear simply doesn’t work. So much can be learned about any enterprise by its priorities. No one can make us unsee what we plainly observe, nor unhear what has been consistently dished out for eleven years.
Thank you, Mr Alteri, for reporting this (which I see others are not touching).
Santo Francesco tamed the Wolf of Gubbio. His namesake seems more inclined to export them to wild Istrian Slovenia.
My comments are synthesized here: https://www.newoxfordreview.org/rupniks-art-a-response-to-ruffini/
It is little wonder that this Pope so hates the Traditional Latin Mass and believes he has both the right and the ability to abolish it. He promotes and surrounds himself with the most vile characters imaginable. His evident disdain for Goodness and Beauty can only lead him to recoil from Truth with equal aversion.
There are also many vile characters in the Latin mass community who need discipline. Some are even lavender. The fallen nature is universal and we are ALL tainted with it. “Those who live in glass houses “ is an apt adage. 😥
Sorry, while we’re all fallen, we’re not all sexual predators and we’re not all willing to provide cover or excuses for them.
In addition, we are not all trying to destroy a venerable liturgy of the Church, as well as many Church institutions and religious orders.
My concern is not that he is surrounded by “vile characters” as much as perhaps a much more egregious species: yes men.
Given that this pontificate has not much time, you would think that Pope Francis would be getting ready for that terrible reckoning that we must all face. One wonders on the past 11 years what fruits we he be setting before the Lord and the reaction they will endure?
You’re correct, but why would someone who likes to think that hell is empty fear a “terrible reckoning”?
My Partner, who is 66 years old, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease last year. We noticed that he was experiencing hallucinations, slow movement, disturbed sleep, and twitchy hands and legs when at rest. He had to stop taking pramipexole (Sifrol), carbidopa/levodopa, and 2 mg of biperiden because of side effects. Our family doctor recommended a PD-5 treatment from natural herbs centre which my husband has been undergoing for several months now. Exercise has been very beneficial. He has shown great improvement with the treatment thus far. He is more active now, does more, and feels less apathetic. He has more energy and can do more activities in a day than he did before. As far as tremors I observe a progress, he improved drastically. I thought I would share my husband’s story in case it could be helpful, but ultimately you have to figure out what works best for you. Salutations and well wishes
Francis excuses it because it’s not in the popular secular news, his favored domain. He excuses pro-abortion “Catholic” politicians like Biden and Pelosi, and poses with smiling photos with them. Since Rupnik isn’t in the secular news, Francis will absolve his mosaics.
I am told that in the eastern rites the icon artist has a ritual of fasting and praying for some time before he commences his work of art. This ritual is to prepare him to receive the inspiration of God which is then transferred to the icons. It would appear that Rupnik also had a ritual, a sexual ritual, that opened him to the inspiration of Satan. We are told to believe Rupnik’s defenders who say that his art was unaffected by the satanic ritual. I prefer to believe that the inspiration of Satan is to be found in Rupnik’s art, and the fact that we are blind to it, says as much about us and the state of our church, as it does about Rupnik.
Yes, and see my similar comment above.
The Pope has far more important things to worry about that the Rupnik scandal – such as crushing the Latin Mass. Now there’s something that’s truly urgent.
My Partner, who is 66 years old, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease last year. We noticed that he was experiencing hallucinations, slow movement, disturbed sleep, and twitchy hands and legs when at rest. He had to stop taking pramipexole (Sifrol), carbidopa/levodopa, and 2 mg of biperiden because of side effects. Our family doctor recommended a PD-5 treatment from natural herbs centre . com, which my husband has been undergoing for several months now. Exercise has been very beneficial. He has shown great improvement with the treatment thus far. He is more active now, does more, and feels less apathetic. He has more energy and can do more activities in a day than he did before. As far as tremors I observe a progress, he improved drastically. I thought I would share my husband’s story in case it could be helpful, but ultimately you have to figure out what works best for you. Salutations and well wishes