LIMA – Pope Francis approved this Wednesday the expulsion of 10 members of the Sodalicio de Vida Cristiana (SVC), among whom is his former superior general Eduardo Regal and the archbishop emeritus of Piura, José Antonio Egurén, for physical abuse with sadism, abuse of authority and against the administration of ecclesiastical assets, reported the Peruvian Episcopal Conference (CEP).
The CEP detailed in a statement that the decision was adopted after assessing the defenses corresponding to the complaints that emerged during the special mission entrusted to Charles J. Scicluna, archbishop of Malta and deputy secretary of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, and the official of said Dicastery, Jordi Bartomeu, between July and August of last year.
This measure is taken a month after the expulsion of the founder of this apostolic society, Luis Figari, due to the complaints of sexual abuse presented against him and other directors of the Sodalitium, which were documented in the book “Half monks, half soldiers”, by journalists Pedro Salinas and Paola Ugaz in 2015.
Figari remains in Rome, after the Peruvian Prosecutor’s Office initiated preliminary investigations into the alleged sexual abuse of minors, although they were later archived in 2019.
In addition to Regal and Eguren, the expulsion includes the former regional superiors Rafael Ismodes and Erwin Scheuch, the former trainers Humberto del Castillo, Oscar Tokumura and Daniel Card.
Likewise, to the former incorporated members Ricardo Trenemann, Miguel Salazar, and the journalist Alejandro Bermdez.
To adopt such a disciplinary decision “the scandal produced by the number and severity of the abuses reported by the victims has been considered,” indicated the CEP.
He mentioned that these are cases of physical abuse, even with sadism and violence; abuse of conscience with methods to break the will of subordinates; spiritual abuse, abuse of position and authority, as well as cover-up of crimes committed in the group.
Likewise, abuse in the administration of ecclesiastical property and abuse in the exercise of the apostolate of journalism.
Pope Francis, together with the Peruvian bishops, “ask for forgiveness from the victims and join in their suffering,” and ask this apostolic society to begin “a path of justice and reparation,” the information highlights.
The man worked as a youth leader at the church.