Pope orders Vatican to reopen case of priest ousted from Jesuits after claims of adult abuse

By NICOLE WINFIELD
Associated Press

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis has ordered the Vatican to reopen the case of a well-known priest-artist accused of sexually, psychologically and spiritually abusing adult women. The Vatican says Francis has removed the statute of limitations on their claims to allow a canonical trial to proceed. The announcement came just a day after the case of the Rev. Marko Ivan Rupnik again made headlines when a diocese in his native Slovenia confirmed it had welcomed him after he was expelled by his Jesuit order this summer. A Vatican statement said Pope Francis’ abuse prevention commission had flagged “serious problems” in the way the case was handled, prompting Francis to act.