Fr. Marko Ivan Rupnik, S.J., with the official image of the 10th World Meeting of Families in Rome. / Screenshot from Diocesi di Roma YouTube channel. Rome Newsroom, Mar 13, 2025 / 13:20 pm (CNA). Media reports say the Vatican may be getting closer to making a decision in the case of Father Marko Rupnik, the artist and former Jesuit who has been accused of the sexual and spiritual abuse of women under his spiritual care.Pope Francis lifted the statute of limitations on the case on Oct. 27, 2023, allowing it to be tried by the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF).More than 500 days later, reports say Rupnik continues to travel while reportedly living in a monastery an hour outside of Rome — and will be tried under the canonical crime of “spiritual abuse.”The head of the DDF, Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, said in an interview at the end of January that the dicastery had finished gathering information in the case, had conducted a first review, and was working to put together an independent tribunal for the penal judicial procedure.A lawyer for some of Rupnik’s victims released a book in March detailing the accusations of three women against the priest. Laura Sgrò told EWTN News she is looking forward to receiving updates in the case.Here’s a timeline of known facts about the Rupnik case, including the knowledge and response of the Jesuits and the Vatican: 2018October: Jesuit Father Juan Antonio Guerrero Alves, Rupnik’s superior, receives allegations of sexual misconduct on the part of Rupnik and an allegation that Rupnik gave absolution in confession to an accomplice in a sin against the Sixth Commandment. A preliminary investigation is set up.2019May: The 2018 allegations are deemed credible; a file is sent to the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF).June: Precautionary restrictions are imposed on Rupnik by his superior, Guerrero. What the specific restrictions were is unknown.July: The CDF asks Father Arturo Sosa, the Jesuits’ superior general, to set up a penal administrative process for the Rupnik accusations. Sosa appoints a delegate and two assessors who are not part of the order.2020January: The delegate and assessors assembled by Sosa unanimously find that Rupnik did commit the canonical crime of absolution of an accomplice. The order knows that Rupnik had incurred an automatic excommunication for that crime.May: The CDF also formally declares the excommunicable act (the absolution of an accomplice in a sin against the Sixth Commandment) happened and that Rupnik is in an excommunicated status. The excommunication is lifted by CDF decree later the same month. Rupnik ceases to be director of the art and theological center he founded in Rome, the Centro Aletti, and administrative restrictions are imposed for three years.October: Bishop Daniele Libanori, SJ, an auxiliary bishop of Rome, is appointed extraordinary commissioner of the Loyola Community following a canonical visit that identified governance problems in the religious institute. 2021Libanori, in conversations with current and former members of the Loyola Community in early 2021, uncovers allegations of abuse against Rupnik, who had split from the institute in 1993 after co-founding the community with current head Sister Ivanka Hosta in the late 1980s. Libanori, according to the Associated Press, urges the women to file their complaints with the Vatican.June: The CDF contacts the Jesuit general curia about allegations concerning Rupnik and some members of the Loyola Community.July: Sosa asks Father Johan Verschueren, who succeeded Guerrero in January 2020 as Rupnik’s superior, to set up a preliminary investigation into the allegations with a person outside the Jesuits.2022January: An investigation concludes that there was enough evidence for a case; the results are sent to the CDF with a recommendation for a penal process. Pope Francis has a meeting with Rupnik at the Vatican on Jan. 3.February: Verschueren imposes new, unspecified restrictions on Rupnik’s ministry.October: The CDF (now called the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith) says the statute of limitations has expired on the alleged criminal acts and there can be no trial. Rupnik’s ministry continues to be under restrictions.December: Sometime during this month, Verschueren imposes new restrictions on Rupnik. On Dec. 18, the Jesuits publish a statement asking anyone who has suffered abuse to contact them to lodge a new complaint or to further discuss any complaints that were already made. The statement also includes a basic timeline of when the Jesuits learned of accusations against Rupnik and what actions were taken.On Dec. 17, Verschueren tells the National Catholic Register, CNA’s sister news partner, that Rupnik’s early restrictions were to “avoid private, in-depth spiritual contacts with persons, forbidden to confess women, and to give spiritual direction to women specifically in the context of Centro Aletti. In 2020, these res