No, Caravaggio & Rupnik Are Not the Same

Rupnik was too much for even the Jesuits to stomach, but there are still people like Austen Ivereigh who defend him. They are defending a monster!

From One Mad Mom

The Rupnik sycophants are reeling as more and more religious sites and the Vatican expunge Rupnik from their properties and publications. The lengths they go to defend the man’s art are ridiculous and show a complete lack of charity and consideration to his victims. They just need to suck it up, apparently. In case you are not familiar with the charges against Rupnik, this is two of his more than 20 victims: https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256894/two-of-father-rupnik-s-alleged-victims-speak-publicly-for-the-first-time

First, Rupnik’s “art” is awful. There’s no depth to it and it looks as if mosaic art and anime came together to form works that could have been produced by a sixth-grader. It certainly doesn’t even come anywhere close to this: https://www.wondersofsicily.com/sicily-christ-pantocrator.htm

Now, people like Austen Ivereigh — who said he’s never, never, ever going to take down his Rupnik art — seem to ignore this, but Rupnik’s artwork was often created in an act of abuse. Or, perhaps, maybe that’s why they like it? He used the art to abuse women, and he used the abuse of women to create the art. They are monuments to abuse, not sacred art, and it’s completely agonizing for his many victims. This isn’t the same with Caravaggio. He didn’t actually fight or kill someone while he was painting.

And the latest lame attempt at comparison…”But Caravaggio was a sinner! Are we supposed to ditch all art created by sinners?!?!” Uh, we’re all sinners. That said, there are two kinds of sinners – unrepentant and repentant. Caravaggio spent his life contemplating the faith AND he also had issues. He availed himself of the sacraments and after killing a man, he spent the rest of his life seeking a papal pardon. https://www.thecatholicthing.org/2025/05/12/caravaggio-2025-radiant-in-the-darkness/  Does this somehow mirror the life of Rupnik? Rupnik actually was excommunicated for absolving an accomplice. He refused to cooperate with the Jesuits resulting in expulsion. And he has NEVER repented of any of this. He was even staying at a convent during the Vatican investigation. Insane. https://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=64956 

If the Church wants to truly walk with abuse victims, the notorious abuser Rupnik’s artwork needs to be removed everywhere. Thankfully, it looks like Pope Leo XIV has taken the first step to correct the utter disaster the Vatican saddled him with when they didn’t act swiftly and decisively in the case of Rupnik and continued to let him trot around the world. Hopefully the rest will come down soon and Rupnik will be locked away, if at all possible.