Pope Francis recently showed his support for a group of Peruvian villagers who have been fighting against companies associated with the Sodalitium Christianae Vitae, a powerful South American church group. The villagers, from the San Juan Bautista de Catacaos farmers community in northern Peru, have been facing lawsuits and attempts to evict them from their land since 2014. The Pope, in a recorded video from the Vatican, encouraged the villagers to defend their land and not allow it to be stolen from them. The Sodalitium is known for its involvement in education and spiritual centers, as well as real estate, agriculture, and construction ventures.
The Sodalitium Christianae Vitae, a conservative lay group founded in Peru in 1971, has faced allegations of sexual abuse by its founder and leaders in recent years. Peruvian prosecutors are investigating the group’s finances, including accusations of money laundering through offshore accounts. Last July, the Vatican sent a commission to Peru to investigate the group’s actions and determine if dissolution is necessary. The commission met with Sodalitium leaders, survivors of abuse, and members of the Catacaos farmers community, who accused the group of attempting to seize their land through fraudulent documents and lawsuits.
The Catacaos villagers have been farming the disputed land for centuries and claim the Sodalitium is trying to take over 1900 hectares through deceitful means. The villagers have been bombarded with numerous lawsuits in an ongoing court battle over the land. Despite these challenges, Pope Francis encouraged the villagers to stand their ground and continue defending their land. He expressed gratitude for their efforts and offered his blessing, emphasizing the importance of prayer. The Pope’s message was shared during the community’s 466th anniversary celebration, with the hope that the Vatican will soon make a decision regarding the Sodalitium’s future.
Marcelino Ynga, the current leader of the Catacaos community, thanked the Pope for his support and expressed optimism about a resolution from the Vatican in the near future. The community’s lawyer, Carlos Rodriguez, welcomed the Pope’s message as a form of recognition for the villagers’ struggle and a source of solace for their efforts. He emphasized that the farmers are not criminals, but rather defenders of their rightful land. The ongoing dispute between the Catacaos farmers and the Sodalitium Christianae Vitae highlights the complexities of land rights, corporate influence, and the intersection of religious organizations with social justice issues in South America.
Ultimately, Pope Francis’s solidarity with the Catacaos villagers serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of defending the rights of marginalized communities against powerful entities. The involvement of the Vatican in investigating the actions of the Sodalitium Christianae Vitae reflects a commitment to accountability and justice within the Catholic Church. As the legal battle over the disputed land continues, the villagers are emboldened by the Pope’s words of encouragement and steadfast in their resistance against attempts to usurp their ancestral territory. The outcome of this conflict will not only impact the lives of the Catacaos farmers but also carry broader implications for land rights and social justice in Peru and beyond.
