A Vatican delegation, including cardinals, bishops, and representatives of the Church in Peru, knelt before farmers asking for forgiveness in response to abuses suffered at the hands of an ecclesial organisation dissolved in 2025. Source: Vatican News.
The apology took place on Saturday, in front of the altar of the parish of San Juan Bautista in Catacaos, a town a few kilometres from Piura in northern Peru.
There, the farmers (campesinos) of the Indigenous Tallán people were given a tangible sign of the willingness of the country’s Church representatives to make amends, after more than a decade of abuses, persecution, land seizures, harassment and violations of social and labour rights, committed by sectors and members linked to the Sodalitium of Christian Life.
In 2025, Pope Francis dissolved Sodalitium following proven scandals of abuse and corruption that were brought to light by the investigative work of journalists Pedro Salinas and Paola Ugaz.
This act was a response to the farmers’ petitions to Msgr Jordi Bertomeu, an official of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith who was sent to Peru a year ago as apostolic commissioner for the dissolution process of Sodalitium.
He concelebrated the Mass of reparation on the feast of Pentecost on Saturday with Cardinal Carlos Castillo Mattasoglio of Lima and Cardinal Pedro Barreto, Archbishop Emeritus of Huancayo and other bishops.
Authorities, members of civil society and diplomatic corps were also present, along with the farmers of Catacaos, holding white flowers.
Relatives of indigenous leaders who died after actively opposing land trafficking linked to companies associated with Sodalitium, as well as other relatives and members of the farming community of Catacaos, also gathered for this event.
“We should have come 20 years ago; today we ask forgiveness,” Msgr Bertomeu said.
In his homily, Cardinal Castillo Mattasoglio spoke of a commitment “on the path of renewal” as well as “an authentic sign of hope for humanity”.
“Today we want to overcome this dishonour” and move forward on the “path of reconciliation” begun by Pope Francis and continued by Pope Leo XIV, who had already addressed the Sodalitium issue on numerous occasions during his time as a bishop in Peru, offering support to victims.
FULL STORY
Peru: Cardinals, bishops kneel before ‘Sodalitium’ victims (By Salvatore Cernuzio, Vatican News)
