ROME – Three months after the formal suppression of all branches of a Peru-based lay group, victims are both celebrating some significant victories, while also lamenting the slow pace of ecclesial justice, and the lack of institutional communication about the case.

The Sodalitium Christianae Vitae (SCV), a Peru-based lay group founded by layman Luis Fernando Figari and consisting of a branch of consecrated men, two branches of consecrated women, and an ecclesial movement, was suppressed by Pope Francis earlier this year, shortly before his death.

Francis made the rare decision to suppress the entire spiritual family after launching an in-depth investigation in July 2023, led by his top investigators, Maltese Archbishop Charles Scicluna and Spanish Monsignor Jordi Bertomeu, both officials of the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.

Among the swath of abuses uncovered in each of the branches were the physical, psychological, spiritual and even sexual abuse of members, including some who were abused as minors.

Several top-ranking members have also been accused of financial crimes and corruption, as well as land trafficking and the persecution of a group of peasant farmers in Catacaos, Piura, by companies either owned or administered by members of the SCV who were accused of attempting to force the farmers off of their lands through intimidation and judicial harassment.

The Catacaos farming community for over a decade has been battling what they say have been relentless attempts by multiple SCV companies to run them off their land, either with fabricated allegations of terrorism and usurpation, or, at times, with the use of violence.

With members of the community saying they have faced at least 30-40 false criminal complaints from a handful of SCV companies over the years, they have been represented and provided legal support by the National Coordinator of Human Rights (CNDDHH) in Peru.

On Wednesday, June 16, the Catacaos community, experienced a significant victory in their case, when the Fourth Criminal Court of Piura acquitted them allegations of land usurpation by the company Constructora Keheda, which holds ties to the SCV.

According to the CNDDHH, the accusation dates back to 2015, when the company sought to dispossess the Catacaos farmers of their ancestral communal lands by allegedly falsifying communal land acquisition records, filing them with the Public Registries office (Sunarp), and then selling them lands to for-profit companies who sought to develop it for agro-export purposes.

However, the court in its ruling recognized that the Catacaos farming community possessed title deeds dating back to the 1980s, and that the witnesses presented by Constructora Keheda had provided indirect and unsubstantiated testimonies.

The farming community has asserted that all of the lands in the Catacaos area belong to their ancestors dating back some 400 years, and that therefore any transfer of property must be approved by a majority in an assembly.

Among other things, the farmers claimed they have been losing land for years, and that when they have sought to regain control, they have been met with violence – including gunfire, with one woman claiming her husband was killed by a criminal gang hired by an SCV-run company – or criminally charged with false allegations of terrorism, usurpation, and invasion of private property.

In a statement, the CNDDHH called the court’s ruling in the case “a precedent against the criminalization promoted by companies seeking to dispossess peasant communities of their lands.”

“It is a victory for all who defend their territory against abuse,” they said.

However, while the Catacaos farmers are celebrating a significant and perhaps indicative milestone in their case, former members of the SCV branches voiced frustration over the slow progress on their own cases, as well as a lack of communication from ecclesial structures and individuals.

On July 16, the Association for Truth, Justice and Fair Reparations (AVJR), which consists of former members of all four branches of the SCV family, issued a statement lamenting the slow progress of the liquidation process of SCV, and urging Pope Leo XIV to ensure that reparations are swift.

“Our Association believes it is necessary to inform the public, within the framework of our work representing victims, survivors, and others committed to our mission, about the current status of our coordination with Church authorities,” they said in the statement.

Members noted that many of them had made complaints to two separate SCV-led commissions investigating abuse allegations in 2016 and in 2017, as well as to the 2023 Special Mission sent by Pope Francis, consisting of Scicluna and Bertomeu.

They insisted on their independence from any ecclesial, political or civil entity, and reiterated their commitment to conveying the truth and seeking justice and a fair reparation for victims of all four branches of the suppressed SCV family.

Members of the association said that they have sent several communications to various individuals and entities within the Church, including Pope Francis, the Dicastery for Religious, and to Bertomeu in his capacity as papal commissioner overseeing the liquidation of the SCV family after its suppression.

In each case, they said, they asked, “that we be informed about the process of victim assistance, the closure of the process, and that we coordinate actions with the Catholic Church.”

“Unfortunately, to date, we have not received a response from any of the forementioned authorities,” they said.

They acknowledged the complexities of organizing and carrying forward cases such as theirs in the context of the papal transition, following the death of Pope Francis and the election of Pope Leo XIV.

However, members said they also wished to convey “with profound respect that many people have suffered harm and various revictimizations, and that one of the most serious and painful experiences is being made invisible and unheard.”

“Many of them come to us and ask about what steps should be taken and what remains in this process,” they said.

The association said the suppression of the SCV family was just and serves as an important example, for the church, but they lamented that, “in practice, it does not prove to be a significant contribution to healing the damage done.”

“It is essential to inform as much as possible about the process, those responsible, as well as the actions, deadlines and procedures to achieve the care that both Pope Francis and his successor Leo XIV have promised,” they said.

Follow Elise Ann Allen on X: @eliseannallen