In a rare and significant move, Pope Francis has expelled 10 individuals, including a bishop, priests, and laypeople, from a Catholic movement in Peru following a Vatican investigation that uncovered widespread abuses. The decision follows a thorough investigation into the Sodalitium Christianae Vitae (Sodalitium of Christian Life), a movement founded in Peru in 1971. The findings revealed “sadistic” abuses of power, authority, and spirituality within the group.

The investigation, carried out by the Vatican’s top sex crimes investigators, Archbishop Charles Scicluna and Monsignor Jordi Bertomeu, uncovered disturbing practices by the movement’s leaders. These included physical abuse, spiritual manipulation, economic exploitation, and the hacking of victims’ communications. The investigation also revealed the involvement of clergy in sect-like abuses of conscience, along with a disturbing pattern of harassing and controlling members.

The most notable figure expelled from the movement is Archbishop José Antonio Eguren, who had previously resigned as bishop of Piura, Peru, following his controversial attempts to silence journalists Pedro Salinas and Paola Ugaz. The two reporters had exposed the abuses within the Sodalitium movement in their 2015 book, *Half Monks, Half Soldiers*, which documented the abuse and manipulation faced by members. Their revelations brought to light the shocking conduct of Sodalitium’s founder, Luis Figari, who was previously expelled by Pope Francis in August 2024 after being found guilty of sexually abusing recruits.

The Vatican’s report detailed the horrifying behavior of Figari, who forced recruits to engage in sexual acts, humiliated them, and inflicted physical pain. Despite the 2017 investigation confirming these abuses, the Vatican had initially refrained from expelling Figari, merely ordering him to live separately from the movement. This decision angered victims, many of whom felt the Church was failing to hold Figari accountable for his crimes.

However, the latest investigation confirmed that the abuses extended beyond Figari and involved other members of the movement. The Vatican’s swift action to expel 10 members this time is seen as a response to the persistent calls for justice from survivors and victims’ advocates. Journalist Paola Ugaz, who played a key role in uncovering the movement’s abuses, praised the Vatican’s action, noting that without the intervention of Scicluna and Bertomeu, justice may never have been served.

In its statement, the Vatican emphasized its commitment to seeking justice for the victims. It called upon the Sodalitium movement to initiate a process of justice and reparation, acknowledging the harm caused. As of yet, the movement has not issued any formal response to the expulsions.