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Pope suppresses Peruvian Sodalitium of Christian Life

Pope suppresses Peruvian Sodalitium of Christian Life

Last updated on: January 31, 2025 at 11:50 pm by Father Pablo Migone

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Pope suppresses Peruvian Sodalitium of Christian Life 2025-01-31T23:50:38-05:00 Father Pablo Migone

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Today, at the conclusion of its sixth General Assembly, the Sodalitium of Christian Life, a Catholic Society of Apostolic Life founded in Lima, Peru in the 1970s by the layman Luis Fernando Figari, announced that the Holy Father Francis has suppressed the community. Rumors of this announcement emerged a few weeks ago while the assembly was still in course in Aparecida, Brazil. The assembly quickly reprimanded two members who had leaked the information. You can read the press release in English at the bottom of this post.

This brings closure to a community I became acquainted with as a seminarian, visiting them during one of my visits to Peru in 2003, and then at Camp Saint Malo in Denver, Colorado in August 2004. It was Archbishop Chaput, at that time in Denver, who put me in touch with them. My father, grandparents and aunt are buried at a cemetery operated by them. I have family and friends who are members, or who used to belong to it. I had contact with several members while I studied in Rome, visiting their house there several times. The young man who befriended me in 2003 who belonged to the order departed years ago, and received financial compensation for damages. One of the priests I met in Rome has left the priesthood and is now a college professor. My sister and her husband married at the parish which served as their mother house in Lima.

Though rumors of physical, psychological and sexual abuse arose years ago, true scandal emerged when through the work of a Peruvian journalist, Pedro Salinas, victims spoke. It was heartbreaking to learn about two years ago that one of my elementary school classmates was one of the victims of sexual abuse of minors by a consecrated member of the community who now resides in the United States, never having paid for his crimes.

I recognize there are many good and holy members of this Society of Apostolic Life throughout the world, but when it becomes evident that the toxicity and criminal activity came straight from the top, it is inevitable that the community closes. There is a video online where the founder is confronted in Rome. He shows no awareness of the seriousness of his actions, and does not express any remorse. I pray for all involved, for the victims, for those who feel defrauded by this movement, for a new start, and for healing deep within the Peruvian church.

Here is a translation of the press release, the original in Spanish can be found on their website.

We, the members of the Sodalitium, gathered from January 6 to 31 in the city of Aparecida (Brazil), wish to send the following message:

During our General Assembly, we received the communication that the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, with the specific approval of Pope Francis, had decided to suppress the Sodalitium of Christian Life.
We Sodalitium accept this decision with docility, maintaining our trust in God’s Providence. We reaffirm our full obedience to the Holy Father and continue to accompany him with our continuous prayers.
We wish to express as an Assembly, with pain and profound repentance, our request for forgiveness from the victims and all those affected by the various abuses that have occurred in our history, for the wounds produced and for all the scandal this has caused.
We are grateful for the accompaniment and all the guidance that the Church has given us throughout this time, especially through the Pontifical Delegates present at this Assembly, Card. Gianfranco Ghirlanda S.J. and Fray Guillermo Rodríguez Rico O.F.M. Likewise, to all our spiritual family who has accompanied us with their testimony and prayers.

Aparecida, January 31, 2025

Picture from Creative Commons. Information here.

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