Jesuit case underscores secrecy, leniency for abuse of women ROME (AP) — Revelations that the Vatican let a famous priest off the hook twice for abusing his authority over adult women has exposed two main weaknesses in the Holy See’s abuse policies: sexual and spiritual misconduct against adult women is rarely if ever punished, and secrecy still reigns supreme, especially when powerful priests are involved.Jesuits admit artist excommunicated before new abuse claims Pope urges 'humble' Christmas, with savings sent to Ukraine Pope on Mexican feast day sympathizes with migrant caravans Crisis of confidence over cardinal shakes Cologne Catholics While the Jesuits barred Rupnik from hearing confessions or giving spiritual direction, the restrictions on his ministry did not prevent him from celebrating Mass or preaching.After fine-tuning its procedures to punish priests who abuse children, the Vatican last year updated its law to criminalize abuse of authority over adults, and in 2020 it revealed how a once-powerful ex-cardinal, Theodore McCarrick, sexually abused his adult seminarians.“We recognize that sexual activity between a doctor and a patient, or a therapist and a client, is a serious abuse of power, and we treat that kind of sexual contact as criminal.The scandal involving Rupnik erupted last week when three Italian blogs - Silere non Possum, Left.it and Messa in Latino - began revealing allegations of spiritual, psychological and sexual abuse against Rupnik by consecrated women who live like nuns at a Jesuit community with which he was affiliated in his native Slovenia in the 1990s."