ROME — In a significant move, Pope Francis has decided to dissolve the Peruvian-based Catholic organization known as Sodalitium Christianae Vitae (SCV), following years of reform attempts and a Vatican inquiry. This investigation revealed various forms of abuse, including sexual misconduct by the organization’s founder, financial irregularities among its leadership, and spiritual exploitation by key members.
The dissolution of SCV was confirmed by the organization on Monday during an assembly in Aparecida, Brazil. Cardinal Gianfranco Ghirlanda, a leading legal advisor to the Pope, was the one who communicated this decision. The SCV expressed disappointment that news of the Pope’s decision had been leaked by two of its members, who have since been expelled from the organization.
Although the SCV acknowledged the truth of information initially reported by a Spanish-language outlet, they refrained from detailing any inaccuracies. The Vatican has yet to release official comments regarding the situation. The act of dissolving a recognized religious group is a considerable action for a Pope, particularly so for a Jesuit leader, as the Jesuit order itself faced suppression centuries ago.
Founded in 1971, SCV emerged as part of a reactionary movement against the liberal liberation theology trend in Latin America during the 1960s. At its peak, the organization boasted a membership of around 20,000 across South America and the United States, wielding considerable influence especially in Peru, with its U.S. headquarters located in Denver.
Grievances against the organization were voiced as early as 2011, when former members reported the abuses perpetrated by Luis Figari, its founder. However, it wasn’t until 2015, following the release of a book by Pedro Salinas and journalist Paola Ugaz, that the issue gained significant visibility. The book, “Half Monks, Half Soldiers,” exposed the troubling practices within the SCV.
A 2017 report commissioned by SCV’s leadership confirmed allegations of abuse, including severe psychological and sexual misconduct perpetrated by Figari and others. In a bid for reform, Pope Francis deployed two of his most trusted investigators, Archbishop Charles Scicluna and Monsignor Jordi Bertomeu, to conduct an inquiry into the allegations. Their investigation uncovered “sadistic” power abuses and financial mismanagement within the organization.
The findings led to the expulsion of Figari and ten other senior members last year, including an archbishop who had attempted legal action against Salinas and Ugaz. Salinas, who has long advocated for the SCV’s dissolution, described the Pope’s decree as “extraordinary” but overdue, noting that initial complaints date back 25 years. He commended the efforts of Scicluna, Bertomeu, and the new prefect for religious orders, Sister Simona Brambilla, highlighting Pope Francis’ pivotal role in confronting the history of abuse.
Questions have arisen regarding the future of SCV’s assets, as victims hope they will be allocated for reparations. Canon law stipulates that any decision concerning the temporal goods of a suppressed institute rests solely with the Holy See.
Renzo Orbegozo, a former SCV member from Texas, expressed relief at the organization’s dissolution, emphasizing that he hopes present participants will awaken to the realities of their situation. He characterized the SCV as a societal ill masquerading as a Catholic institution. His sentiments aligned with remarks from Cardinal Carlos Gustavo Castillo Mattasoglio, the current archbishop of Lima, who has described the SCV as a “failed experiment” and suggested it reflects a political agenda reminiscent of fascism in Latin America.
Pope Francis’ decision to suppress the SCV starkly contrasts with the approach taken by his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, regarding another powerful conservative group, the Legionaries of Christ. In 2010, despite evidence of misconduct by its founder, Benedict opted for a path of renewal rather than suppression, amidst calls for stronger action.
