Thirty-three people identifying as survivors of Sodalitium Christianae Vitae asked Pope Leo XIV to meet them during his Peru visit, seeking accountability and reparations as the Vatican plans abuse-victim meetings.
In a letter published Oct. 26 by Red de Sobrevivientes, the signatories asked Leo to hear them during the Peru leg of his trip. They said the suppression process was incomplete and reported insufficient progress on justice, accountability and comprehensive reparations.
The Holy See Press Office said meetings with people abused by clergy or other Church members are planned during the trip, Vatican News reported. The office has not identified a country, date, venue or participants. Leo’s published itinerary schedules visits to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru from Nov. 6-17 but lists no survivor meeting.
The letter appeared one day before Vatican News reported the meeting plan. When they published it, the signatories said they had no indication that a survivor meeting was planned. The Vatican’s later statement did not say whether any of the 33 would attend.
The Vatican confirmed on Oct. 26 that medical assessments found no contraindications to the trip and that it would proceed, as covered in EconoTimes’ earlier report on the Peru visit.
In an April 14, 2025, announcement, Sodalitium said its superior general had signed the decree suppressing the group and that Pope Francis had specifically approved it. The organization apologized for mistreatment and abuse committed within its community.
Reuters reported Oct. 31 that survivors expressed differing views of Leo’s earlier role in the case. Pedro Salinas, a journalist and former Sodalitium member, praised then-Bishop Robert Prevost’s engagement with survivors and advocates during his time in Peru. “Without him, the needle didn’t move,” Salinas told Reuters.
José Enrique Escardó, president of a Peruvian survivors network, told Reuters survivors wanted a role in shaping Church policy and reparations that include psychological care and education. He said they were tired of promises with “nothing being done.”
Holy See Press Office Director Matteo Bruni is scheduled to brief reporters on the trip Tuesday, Nov. 3, at 7 a.m. ET (12:00 UTC).
