Peru's Catholic Church has conducted a symbolic reparation ceremony for an Indigenous community affected by land dispossession, with the highest ecclesiastical authorities in the Andean nation publicly asking for forgiveness.
Background of the Apology
The ceremony, held on Saturday in the northern community of Catacaos, involved Monsignor Jordi Bertomeu, the apostolic commissioner who oversaw the dissolution of the Sodalitium Christianae Vitae. This Catholic group was dissolved in 2025 by the late Pope Francis following a Vatican investigation that uncovered sexual abuses by its founder, financial mismanagement, and spiritual abuses by its leaders.
Bertomeu addressed the Indigenous people of Tallán, stating: "We are here to ask for your forgiveness in the name of the Church. We are late. We should have come 20 years ago, and we are truly sorry."
The Sodalitium's History
Founded in 1971, the Sodalitium was a conservative Catholic society that emerged as a reaction to the liberation theology movement in Latin America. At its peak, it had around 20,000 members across South America and the United States, wielding significant influence in Peru. However, allegations of abuse surfaced in 2011 when former members complained to the Lima archdiocese about founder Luis Figari. No concrete action was taken until a book by a victim and a journalist was published in 2015.
Pope Francis then dispatched Bertomeu and Archbishop Charles Scicluna to investigate. Their report revealed "sadistic" abuses of power, financial irregularities, and harassment of critics. During the ceremony, Bertomeu recalled a 2024 message from the Pope to the community: "Fight for your lands, I am with you."
Land Disputes and Violence
The land conflicts date back at least a decade, when Sodalitium-linked companies initiated legal actions to evict people from thousands of hectares in Catacaos, following property transfers not recognised by local farmers. Dozens of farmers were prosecuted for alleged "usurpation," and two community leaders were shot dead during clashes related to eviction efforts.
Saturday's ceremony occurred months after the Peruvian Episcopal Conference announced a possible visit by Pope Leo XIV to Peru later this year. Bertomeu described Catacaos as a community "fearful and broken," pleading: "Forgive us, offer us your forgiveness, because we too need it."
Tania Pariona, secretary of Peru's National Human Rights Commission, hailed the ceremony as a "historic gesture," noting that the church "is taking the lead over the state, which has failed to protect rural communities."
