The letter, released on Sept. 23, comes as Pope Francis prepares for a four‑day visit to France, where he hopes to restore the Church’s credibility after a series of abuse scandals.
The victims, most of them former nuns, say they have received no updates on the trial that began in October 2025 and have been denied the opportunity to give testimony, prompting them to describe the process as a denial of justice.
In the letter they wrote, “It is useless to report abuse to ecclesiastical authorities, because nothing happens anyway and no one will be held accountable,” and they asked the pope to ensure the judgment is “free of any shadow of doubt.”
Rev. Marko Rupnik, a Slovenian priest known for his mosaics that decorate roughly 200 churches worldwide, was expelled from the Jesuit order in 2023 after the order deemed the accusations against him “very highly credible.” More than 20 women have come forward with claims of sexual and psychological abuse.
The Vatican’s doctrinal office announced the criminal‑style Church trial in October 2025, but the proceedings have been held behind closed doors with few public statements. In July, the Vatican denied media reports that a decision had already been reached.
Ahead of the pope’s upcoming stop at the Lourdes basilica, the local bishop ordered that Rupnik’s mosaics be covered, a move that underscores the heightened sensitivity surrounding the case.
The Vatican press office did not immediately comment on the victims’ letter or on any potential papal intervention.