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Problem pic perceived in pope's place
and exorcist faces battery charge
Holy Scrollers
January 27, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 10 minutes
Good morning Holy Scrollers!
Happy Monday! We hope you survived the frigid temps and enjoyed your weekend. Let’s get into last week’s top stories.
In this week’s edition:
Art by alleged abuser Fr. Rupnik was spotted in Pope Francis’ apartment.
The exorcist on tour with St. Jude’s relics faces criminal charges.
A Montana bill could threaten religious freedom.
and more!
Screenshot from the video in the article at vaticannews.va
Summary: A piece by the alleged abuser priest could be seen hanging on the wall of Pope Francis’ apartment in a video of a phone call, drawing criticism.
Details:
The Holy Father was making a call to Holy Family Parish in Gaza “as he does every evening.”
Pope Francis checks in with the parish, asks what they had to eat, and “…listens, gives his blessings, and greets the children and the elderly.”
During the call a piece of art by Fr. Rupnik can be seen hanging on a wall in the background.
This comes on the heels of the DDF head saying there are “other cases, including others that are worse but less publicized.” when asked about the delay of investigation into Fr. Rupnik.
Why we care: This was first brought to our attention by a post on X by Fr. Paul (@backwardsfeet), and his sentiments mirror our own: “I can't imagine how it must feel to be one of Rupnik's victims and then to see a video of the Holy Father in his private quarters with Rupnik's art on the wall.” The Vatican has been criticized for its handling of Fr. Rupnik’s case, and that criticism seems appropriate - insufficient, even - when considering the Holy Father himself doesn’t seem bothered by continuing to display Fr. Rupnik’s art or at least seemingly hasn’t considered the optics of said artwork being noticed. It’s frustrating and tiresome enough for someone who has no connection to clerical abuse - we cannot imagine how it must feel for those who do. We ask you to continue praying for justice and healing.
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Companions of the Cross via pillarcatholic.com
Summary: Fr. Carlos Martins has been charged with battery following an alleged incident involving a minor at Queen of Apostles Parish in Joliet, Illinois, in November 2024.
Details:
An arrest warrant has been issued for Fr. Martins, a member of the Canadian Companions of the Cross.
The incident reportedly occurred on November 21, 2024, during a nationwide relic tour led by Fr. Martins.
Martins' attorney has labeled the charges as "egregious and unfounded," asserting that the priest will be "fully exonerated."
If convicted, the Class A misdemeanor charge could result in a penalty of up to one year in prison.
Why we care: When this story first broke we took the side of The Pillar, which had been criticized for its initial story of the incident. This development seems to vindicate the outlet, especially given that Fr. Martins “placed the hair of [the minor] in his mouth” according to the criminal complaint. Of course our hope is that this was simply a lapse of judgement by Fr. Martin and not a symptom of long-standing habits or something more nefarious; whatever the case, we think the Church ought to take a firm stance when it comes to allegations of impropriety. It needs to be clear that there is no room for these “little incidents” which can often lead to bigger issues.
Илья Ефимович Репин (ум. 1930), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Summary: A proposed Montana bill seeks to remove the clergy-penitent privilege, potentially requiring priests to report child abuse disclosed during confession.
Details:
The bill aims to eliminate the current exemption that allows clergy to withhold reporting child abuse or neglect based on privileged communication.
Under existing Montana law, clergy are mandatory reporters but are not compelled to disclose information from confessions without the penitent's consent.
The Catholic Church maintains that the seal of confession is inviolable, with priests facing excommunication for directly violating it.
Critics argue that the proposed legislation infringes on religious liberty protections and targets Catholic practices.
Why we care: While encouraging to know that similar laws have floundered in the past, it is concerning that what Catholics (and some other Christians) would consider a fundamental right of our faith is under attack. While the bill’s sponsor argues the bill is “…about civil and criminal laws to protect children from child sex abuse” - a goal which we agree is noble - forcing priests to violate their conscience under threat of legal repercussions does not seem the way to do it. We can’t see this bill making it that far, and we certainly believe (or at least hope) that it would be struck down by SCOTUS at the most, but the fact that this bill directly targets clergy seems a bad omen about the disregard some legislators have for religious freedoms. We’ll see where this goes.
Other Stories
At home…
…and abroad…
…and on the pro-life front…
Quote of the Week
“Sorrow can be alleviated by good sleep, a bath and a glass of wine.”
What’s going on:
Sunday, Feb. 2 is the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord
Have an event or some other activity you’d like us to include? You can reply to this email and we’ll try to get it in the next issue!
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