Pope Francis Expels 10 Members of Peruvian Catholic Movement Amid ‘Sadistic’ Abuse Allegations
In an unprecedented move, Pope Francis expelled 10 members of the Catholic movement Sodalitium Christianae Vitae on Wednesday, including a bishop, priests, and laypeople, following a Vatican investigation that uncovered severe abuses of power, authority, and spirituality. The decision, announced by the Peruvian Bishops Conference, comes after the pope’s expulsion of the group’s founder, Luis Figari, last month for sexually abusing recruits.
A Troubling Legacy of Abuse
The Vatican investigation revealed shocking abuses, including physical violence, sect-like spiritual coercion, and economic misconduct. The statement noted that these abuses had rarely been punished under canon law, making the action particularly notable. Among the more unusual charges was the hacking of private communications, a crime that had been committed to suppress criticism of the movement.
According to the investigation, the abuses within the movement included not only sexual violence but also manipulation of members’ consciences, exploitation of church finances, and “abuses in the exercise of the apostolate of journalism.” The latter accusation was reportedly linked to a Sodalitium-affiliated journalist who attacked critics of the movement on social media.
The Founding of Sodalitium and its Influence
Sodalitium Christianae Vitae was founded in 1971 by Figari as a lay Catholic community to recruit “soldiers for God.” The group emerged as a conservative response to the liberation theology movement that swept across Latin America in the 1960s. At its peak, the organization boasted around 20,000 members across South America and the U.S., becoming a significant force within Peru’s Catholic Church.
Allegations against Figari first surfaced in 2000, and in 2011, victims came forward to the Lima archdiocese, accusing him of serious sexual abuse. However, it wasn’t until journalist Pedro Salinas and co-author Paola Ugaz published the 2015 exposé “Half Monks, Half Soldiers” that broader attention was drawn to the abuses committed by Figari and the Sodalitium movement.
Investigations and Delayed Justice
In 2017, an independent investigation found that Figari had committed grotesque acts of sexual abuse, including sodomizing his recruits and forcing them to engage in humiliating and painful activities. The report also characterized Figari as a “narcissistic, paranoid, and manipulative” figure who derived pleasure from the suffering of others.
Despite the damning findings, the Vatican initially took only limited action against Figari, ordering him to live apart from the Sodalitium community but stopping short of expelling him. Victims and their advocates were outraged, seeing this as a failure of justice.
New Expulsions and a Call for Accountability
The latest Vatican investigation expanded the scope of abuses beyond Figari, implicating Sodalitium clergy and leaders in crimes including the harassment and hacking of their victims’ communications. The Vatican’s top investigators, Archbishop Charles Scicluna and Monsignor Jordi Bertomeu, led the inquiry, taking testimony from survivors in Lima last year.
Among those expelled was Archbishop José Antonio Eguren, who had already resigned as bishop of Piura earlier this year. Eguren had previously sued journalists Salinas and Ugaz for exposing his links to land evictions in his diocese, carried out by a Sodalitium-affiliated real estate developer.
A Call for Justice
Journalist Paola Ugaz, who had her communications hacked in 2023 after reporting on Sodalitium’s financial dealings, welcomed the decision. She praised the Vatican investigators for bringing accountability, stating, “In Peru, the survivors would never have found justice and reparation without Bertomeu and Scicluna.”
The Vatican, in its statement, said the Peruvian bishops joined Pope Francis in seeking the forgiveness of the victims and urged Sodalitium to embark on a path of justice and reparation for those harmed by its leadership.
There was no immediate response from Sodalitium Christianae Vitae regarding the expulsion of its members.