Despite an outcry from abuse victims at the Vatican’s use of artwork by the credibly accused, now disgraced, former Jesuit priest Father Marko Rupnik, the Vatican has once again displayed one of his images on their website for the Aug. 15 solemnity of the Assumption of Mary.
Clergy abuse survivor, Faith Hakesley, author of Glimmers of Grace: Moments of Peace and Healing Following Sexual Abuse and author of the Ruth Institute’s blog, “Advice from a Survivor,” was appalled.
“The Vatican’s decision to once again display Rupnik’s art on their website is not only a direct act of defiance, but also a slap in the face to survivors,” Hakesley wrote in an August 20 post, Outrage Over the Continued Use of Rupnik’s Art by the Vatican: A Betrayal of Survivors and the Faithful.
“The use of artwork depicting the Blessed Mother, created by a sexual offender, is horrific in the extreme,” Hakesley continued. “The Church should be a place of healing. Pope Francis has often called it a ‘field hospital’ for the wounded. But how can we expect the Church to offer healing when it continues to glorify the work of someone who has caused so much pain?”
“The Vatican’s actions do not demonstrate compassion, love, or humility. Instead, they reflect pride, arrogance, and a disregard for the suffering of survivors,” Hakesley said.
Some have argued that Rupnik’s art should continue to be used because many famous artists exhibited bad behavior in their lives as well. But Hakesley points out: “Rupnik, as a priest, exploited his victims in the process of creating his art. When people compare him to other flawed artists, they often overlook this significant distinction.”
“Also, we are in a different era now, where the Church is (or should be) more aware and responsible. Considering what we know about the abuse scandal already, removing or covering his art should be a no-brainer.”
“It’s understandable that sandblasting a wall covered with a Rupnik mural would require time to work out the logistics,” noted Dr. Jennifer Roback Morse, founder and president of the Ruth Institute. “Removing a digital image, however, could be done in seconds. The controllers of the Vatican website have no excuse for their flagrant use of this known-abuser’s art.”
“We have 2000 years’ worth of artwork to choose from. Are Rupnik’s creations really the best the Vatican can find? I sincerely doubt it,” Hakesley concluded.
About the Ruth Institute
The Ruth Institute is a global non-profit organization, leading an international interfaith coalition to defend the family and build a civilization of love.
Jennifer Roback Morse has a Ph.D. in economics and has taught at Yale and George Mason University. She is the author of The Sexual State and Love and Economics – It Takes a Family to Raise a Village.
To get more information or schedule an interview with Dr. Morse, contact media@ruthinstitute.org.
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