Peru Catholic Church Apologises To Indigenous Community Over Land Disputes Linked To Dissolved Religious Group

The Catholic Church in Peru has held a symbolic reparation ceremony for Indigenous communities affected by years of alleged land dispossession linked to the now-dissolved Catholic group Sodalitium Christianae Vitae.

The ceremony took place on Saturday in Catacaos, northern Peru, where church officials publicly sought forgiveness from members of the Indigenous Tallán community over decades of disputed land claims and legal battles.

Leading the event was Monsignor Jordi Bertomeu, one of the Vatican officials appointed to oversee the dissolution of the Sodalitium following investigations into widespread abuses within the organisation.

“We are here to ask for your forgiveness in the name of the Church,” Bertomeu told worshippers during the packed church gathering.

“We are late. We should have come 20 years ago, and we are truly sorry,” he added.

The Sodalitium Christianae Vitae, founded in 1971 in Peru, was dissolved in 2025 by the late Pope Francis after years of controversy involving allegations of sexual abuse, financial misconduct, and spiritual manipulation by its leadership.

The organisation had grown into one of Latin America’s most influential conservative Catholic movements, reportedly attracting thousands of members across South America and the United States.

Investigations into the group intensified after former members accused its founder, Luis Figari, of abuse and misconduct. Although complaints were initially raised in 2011, major action only followed after the publication of a 2015 book detailing alleged abuses within the organisation.

Following an unsuccessful reform process, Pope Francis dispatched Bertomeu and Archbishop Charles Scicluna to investigate the allegations. Their findings reportedly uncovered what the Vatican described as sect-like abuses of power, financial irregularities, and harassment of critics.

The land disputes involving Sodalitium-linked companies reportedly began more than a decade ago when legal efforts were launched to evict farming communities from thousands of hectares in Catacaos following contested land transfers.

Several farmers were prosecuted for alleged land usurpation, while two community leaders were reportedly killed during clashes linked to the disputes.

During the ceremony, Bertomeu recalled a message Pope Francis reportedly sent to the community in 2024 encouraging residents to continue defending their lands.

“Fight for your lands, I am with you,” the late pontiff reportedly said.

Human rights advocates described the church’s apology as a significant step toward justice for affected communities.

Tania Pariona described the ceremony as a “historic gesture,” saying the church had shown leadership in an area where state institutions had failed to adequately protect rural communities.

The symbolic event comes amid reports that Pope Leo XIV may visit Peru later this year.