(ITALY)
Decripto.org [Naples, Italy]
August 23, 2024
A group of Enna citizens, many of them practising Catholics, organised a silent protest in response to the Piazza Armerina diocese’s handling of the case of priest Giuseppe Rugolo, convicted of aggravated sexual assault on minors. The demonstration took place inside two churches in Enna, San Giuseppe and the sanctuary of Valverde, during celebrations officiated by two prelates involved in the affair, and outside the Piazza Armerina cathedral.
Faithful leave the church during the service
Giuseppe Rugolo, a priest of the diocese of Piazza Armerina, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for aggravated sexual violence against minors. According to the grounds for the sentence, the diocese allegedly covered up the abuse, causing a wave of indignation among the faithful. The protesters, many of whom were present to attend mass, chose a particularly symbolic way of protest. When the priests arrived at the churches of St Joseph and Valverde, the faithful stood up en masse and left the churches, a significant gesture of dissent.
“I do not accept preaching from those who cover up abuse”
Outside the religious buildings, placards were displayed containing sentences from the Gospel and a particularly strong message: ‘I do not accept sermons from those who cover up abuse’. The protest was organised following the revelations and sentence involving Rugolo. The video of the protest quickly gained visibility on social media, spreading among users and attracting public attention. The virality of the video underlines the strong impact the case is having not only locally but also nationally. At the moment, there has been no official statement from the diocese of Piazza Armerina in response to the protest. However, the event has further ignited the debate on the handling of abuse allegations within the Catholic Church, an issue that remains highly topical.