When Pope Leo XIV visits Lourdes Sept. 26-27, one of the world’s most important Catholic shrines, he will find the mosaics on the facade of its basilica covered from view.
The artwork was designed by Father Marko Rupnik, a former Jesuit accused by numerous women of sexual, spiritual and psychological abuse. For years, his mosaics have decorated some of the most prominent churches and shrines in the Catholic world. Now, as he faces a Vatican trial, the Church is confronting difficult questions about what to do with his art.
In this week’s episode, CNS speaks with Italian investigative journalist Federica Tourn, one of the first reporters to bring the allegations against Father Rupnik to public attention. She has spent four years speaking with survivors, Church officials and confidential sources inside the Vatican, reconstructing the history of the case and the institutional response.
Tourn explains why the bishop of Lourdes decided to cover Father Rupnik’s mosaics, what survivors hope to hear from Pope Leo during his visit, and why the decision in France contrasts so sharply with events in Brazil, where another major Catholic shrine has just celebrated the completion of Father Rupnik’s artwork.
In this episode:
Why Lourdes covered Father Rupnik’s mosaics ahead of Pope Leo’s visit
What survivors hope the pope will say — and whether covering the artwork goes far enough
Why Father Rupnik’s mosaics are being concealed in France but celebrated at a major shrine in Brazil
How Father Rupnik became one of the Catholic Church’s most prominent artists, with powerful connections in Rome
What Tourn discovered about 22 previously unreported letters describing alleged abuse
Why Father Rupnik’s Vatican trial remains shrouded in secrecy, even for the women who have accused him
How Tourn earned the trust of survivors and why she waited months before publishing their stories
Why Tourn is uncertain about how the trial will end
The unanswered question of where the millions earned from Father Rupnik’s artwork went
The controversy at Lourdes is only one part of a much larger story.
This episode features an AI-generated English dub of Federica Tourn’s voice. The transcript and translation were reviewed and edited by CNS staff. Original music was created using AI.
“Where is the presumption of innocence? Guilt is for a court to determine. And so I have to ask: Don’t consecrated adults know what the Sixth Commandment is?” 🤷♂️🙏