Luis Figari expelled from Vatican: Caused scandal and serious damage to the Church

The Vatican has expelled Luis Figari, founder of the society he founded, Sodalitium Christianae Vitae (SVC), better known as Sodalicio. The decision concludes an investigation related to allegations of physical, psychological and sexual abuse, including against minors, by Figari. His society had previously been criticised for abuse and financial irregularities by senior management.

Sodalicio positioned itself as an organisation to help teenagers with behavioural problems and crises. However, in 2000, a former member of the congregation spoke out about the appalling conditions at the centres where retreats were held, leading to a scandal and damaging the organisation's reputation. It emerged that Figari, using the ideology that members of the congregation were subordinate to their superiors, had committed numerous abuses.

There were instances where he punished younger members by using a metal-tipped whip, forced them to hold their hands over a fire until they blistered, and forced them to strip and beat each other. Those who were particularly vulnerable were subjected to a so-called ‘ritual to restore purity,’ which actually involved sexual contact.

Why was Louis Figari expelled from the Vatican?

After a series of investigative journalism and the filing of a petition for the provisional arrest of Louis Figari at the end of July last year, he became the focus of a papal mission sent by the Holy See to Lima to verify the numerous allegations against him. As a result, the Vatican decided to expel the Sodalicio founder. A statement from the Holy See's Dicastery for Consecrated Life and Societies for Apostolic Life said the decision was taken ‘with the aim of restoring the justice violated by Mr Figari's longstanding behaviour, and to protect the well-being of the faithful and the Church in the future’.

The official document emphasised that the papal commission had identified ‘incompatible and unacceptable actions that led to scandal and caused serious damage to both the Church and each of its faithful’, although details were not disclosed.

‘His Holiness' decision is a good sign, but...’

Luis Fernando Figari Rodrigo has lived away from public life since 2010 and has been in Rome since 2015. By order of the Holy See, he has been banned from returning to Peru, communicating with members of the community and giving interviews. In one of his last statements, Figari denied all the accusations: ‘Whether there are victims, I don't know, because I am here in recluse. So I don't know the real lives of all the people, but if there are victims, it hurts me deeply and I think it is necessary to help them get out of whatever situation they find themselves in,’ he said in 2016.

The journalist who exposed Sodalicio, José Enrique Escardo Steck, is also happy with the Vatican's decision, but is more concerned about people's justice: ‘It's a good sign, but it's useless if Figari and his henchmen are not brought before civil justice. The Church will continue to cover for them. He is not the only one. There are many other miscreants who should follow the same path.’

In this regard, Steck, who heads the association of victims of church abuse, adds: ‘The Vatican's acknowledgement of Figari's crimes should be the final push the prosecutor's office needs to finally expose the abusers and put them in prison. Moreover, it must order full and honourable reparation for the victims. The state must implement an effective policy of access to justice, without re-victimisation and stigmatisation.’

Sodalicio's response

Sodalicio commented on the Vatican's decision to expel Figari, reiterating its dismissal, ‘He is a historical founder but is not a spiritual reference point for our community.’ A communiqué signed by Superior General José David Correa González explained that the measure ‘is a gesture of pastoral mercy, justice and reconciliation within our community and with all those who have suffered. We are grateful for this with filial commitment, as part of the path of renewal that our community has been travelling for several years now.’