(ZENIT News / Lima, 10.23.2024).- In a significant move reflecting Pope Francis’s commitment to addressing abuse within religious organizations, the Pope has approved the expulsion of three additional members from Sodalitium Christianae Vitae (SCV), a Peruvian apostolic society founded in 1971. This action, announced on Monday, October 21, by the Peruvian Episcopal Conference, follows a special investigation that exposed severe abuses within the organization.
The Vatican’s investigation, led by Archbishop Charles Scicluna of Malta and Father Jordi Bertomeu from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, was initiated in July 2023. Scicluna and Bertomeu met with victims and evaluated evidence concerning abuse of power, authority, and spiritual manipulation within SCV, which has cast a dark shadow over the group’s reputation. The findings have now led to the total expulsion of 15 SCV members, including founder Luis Fernando Figari, accused of sexually abusing followers.
Accountability and Reform Amidst Revelations of Abuse
The three latest individuals to be expelled—José Andrés Ambrozic Velezmoro, Ricardo Adolfo Trenemann Young, and Father Luis Antonio Ferroggiaro Dentone—were accused of serious abuses, both in their official roles and through their conduct within the organization. The Vatican’s decision came amid mounting testimonies from victims who described psychological manipulation, spiritual coercion, and cases of physical abuse within the SCV.
In August and again in October, the Holy See’s punitive measures grew in scale. The investigation also led to the removal of Jaime Baertl Gómez and lay member Juan Carlos Len Álvarez, whose roles reportedly extended beyond personal misconduct to financial mismanagement and other alleged “irregularities” in organizations connected to SCV. The Vatican’s Apostolic Nunciature in Peru called some of Baertl and Len’s financial dealings “sinful actions that betray the Gospel,” highlighting a profound breach of ethics that not only tarnished SCV’s image but jeopardized the credibility of the Church.
The Vatican’s Deepening Inquiry into Sodalitium’s Activities
The Vatican’s involvement intensified after two Peruvian journalists, Pedro Salinas and Paola Ugaz, brought international attention to SCV’s abuses with their 2015 book “Half Monks, Half Soldiers”. This exposure paved the way for further scrutiny, which intensified following revelations that SCV-linked companies were embroiled in land disputes with local farmers who described their experiences as a form of «torture.» In response, Pope Francis deployed Scicluna and Bertomeu in 2023 to conduct a thorough investigation, culminating in the sweeping expulsions announced in recent months.
While the Vatican has taken decisive action, local legal efforts face challenges. Peru’s judicial system recently closed a case involving kidnapping, severe psychological harm, and illicit association among SCV leaders, citing statutes of limitations. However, another investigation regarding alleged money laundering involving SCV members is ongoing.
A New Chapter of Transparency for the Church in Peru
These expulsions mark a turning point as Pope Francis’s administration demonstrates a commitment to rooting out abuse within religious institutions. The Vatican’s insistence on accountability and the SCV case’s visibility underscore the Church’s intention to restore its integrity and credibility, especially in Peru, where cooperation between Church and State has historically been robust.
Though the Vatican statement refrained from detailing specific financial transactions, it emphasized the Vatican’s dedication to holding religious organizations to the highest ethical standards. The Church’s focus now, as underscored by the Apostolic Nunciature’s statement, lies in ensuring that such abuses do not recur, thereby safeguarding its mission and its message in the modern world.
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