Sodalitium Christianae Vitae

Sodalitium Christianae Vitae
Formation8 December 1971
TypeSociety of Apostolic Life
PurposeEvangelization of Culture
HeadquartersGeneral House, Calle Dos 545, Urb. Monterrico Norte, Lima 41, Perú
Region served
Worldwide
Official language
English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian
LeaderSuperior General, José David Correa González
Main organ
General Assembly
Parent organization
Catholic Church
WebsiteSodalicio de Vida Cristiana (español)
Sodalitium Christianae Vitae (inglés)
Sodalício de Vida Cristã (portugués)

Sodalitium Christianae Vitae (SCV), or Sodalitium[1] of Christian Life, is a Society of Apostolic Life of Pontifical Right. It was founded in Lima, Peru, by Luis Fernando Figari on 8 December 1971. It acquired its present canonical form when Pope John Paul II gave his Pontifical approval on 8 July 1997.[2] The Sodalitium was the first male religious society in Peru to receive papal approval. By 1997, there were Sodalit communities in several countries.

The Sodalitium is composed of consecrated laymen and priests, called "Sodalits,"[3] who live in community as brothers and make commitments—not religious vows as such—of celibacy and obedience.[4]

Being recognised as a lay society of apostolic life of pontifical right, the Sodalitium is under the authority of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life of the Holy See. It was the first lay society of apostolic life to receive pontifical approval.

There have been accusations of brainwashing of young people, and of elitism, conservatism, and authoritarianism; and accusations, supported by a report commissioned by the SCV, of sexual abuse by founder Luis Fernando Figari and other Sodalites. There have also been allegations of Figari's right-wing and falangist activism in his youth.[5][6][7][8] In 2020, Cardinal Pedro Barreto Jimeno, Archbishop of Huancayo, said that the Vatican had been asked to dissolve the Sodalitium,[9] and said that Sodalitium Christianae Vitae and any other religious movement mired in sexual abuse should be dissolved.[9][10] In October 2024, Carlos Castillo Mattasoglio, the Archbishop of Lima, called for the Sodalitium to be suppressed, describing the group as having political and economic ambition and also "the resurrection" of fascist influence in Latin America.[11][12]

  1. ^ "Sodalitium", a word not in the Oxford English Dictionary, rather than the English "sodality", was used in the English version of the society's Web site. A sodality is a religious guild or brotherhood established for purposes of devotion or mutual help or action. The adjective "Sodalit" used on the Web site and in this article is also not in the OED. "sodality". Oxford English Dictionary.
  2. ^ "History of the Sodalitium", article on the website of the Sodalitium.
  3. ^ Constitutions of the Sodalitium Christianae Vitae, 1 website of the Sodalitium
  4. ^ "Sodalits". Sodalitium Christianae Vitae. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference presscon was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference half was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference apology was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference extreme was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ a b "Peruvian cardinal calls for suppression of Sodalitium Christianae Vitae". Catholic News Agency. 8 March 2020. Archived from the original on 13 June 2021.
  10. ^ Junno Arocho Esteves (11 March 2020). "Sodalitium movement should be 'dissolved', cardinal says". Catholic Philly. Catholic News Service.
  11. ^ Mattasoglio, Carlos Castillo. "El Sodalicio, un experimento fallido de la guerra fría en Latinoamérica" (in Spanish). El País.
  12. ^ Allen, Elise Ann (24 October 2024). "New Lima cardinal calls scandalous Peru group a failed 'resurrection of fascism'". Catholic Outlook. Retrieved 24 October 2024.