Pope Francis has taken a rare and extraordinary decision to dissolve the Sodalitium Christianae Vitae, a Peruvian Catholic group that has been embroiled in serious allegations of abuse and financial mismanagement for more than a decade. The group, which once had 20,000 members in South America and the United States, has faced allegations of serious abuse, including against its founder, Luis Fernando Figari.
The Pope's decision to dissolve the group was announced in a statement from the Sodalitium itself, although the Vatican has yet to make an official announcement. The decision follows a Vatican investigation in 2023, which uncovered serious abuses of power, labeled as "sadistic." Figari, who had denied the allegations, was expelled from the order by the Pope in August 2024, along with ten other leading members.
The allegations against Sodalitium include sexual abuse, particularly of young people, and financial mismanagement. A 2017 external investigation described Figari as "vulgar, manipulative, racist and obsessed with sexual matters." One of Figari's victims said he was abused in the 1970s, waiting years for justice to be served.
Sodalitium was founded in 1971 in Peru, with the aim of recruiting young people from wealthy and politically connected families, positioning itself against liberation theology that supported the poor. Writer Paola Ugaz called the Pope's decision "unprecedented" and an act of justice for the group's many victims. (A2 Televizion)
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