In the letter, the former members of the Marian Community of Reconciliation (MCR) said, “With deep respect and hope, we turn to you as a group of ex-members of the Marian Community of Reconciliation (MCR), a community born from the Sodalitium Christianae Vitae.”
“We turn to you to share our experiences and to ask for your guidance and support in the search for justice and healing,” they said.
The MCR, established in 1991, is one of four entities founded by Peruvian layman Luis Fernando Figari, including its male branch, the Sodalitium Christianae Vitae (SCV), a group of nuns called the Servants of the Plan of God (SPD), and an ecclesial movement called the Christian Life Movement (CLM).
Figari, who was previously sanctioned by the Vatican over allegations of a broad range of abuses, including the psychological, physical, and sexual abuse of members, was expelled from the SCV along with 14 other members of the group earlier this year as part of an ongoing Vatican investigation into continued allegations of abuse and financial corruption.
In their letter to the pope, the former members of the MCR said that during their time in the community, “many of us suffered a variety of abuses today clearly characterized as those of a sect, which have left deep scars on our lives.”
These abuses, they said, included spiritual abuse in the “manipulation of our faith and believes to control our actions and decisions, distancing us from the true love and compassion that the Gospel teaches.”
Former members also accused the “spiritual family” of psychological abuse and abuse of conscience through practices they said “undermined our self-esteem and autonomy,” including erroneous diagnoses and “emotional manipulation.”
Some members were victims of sexual abuse by members of the SCV, they said, saying the abuse “has left a devastating impact on our mental and emotional health.”
“The imposition of physical punishment and the use of power to control and silence our voices” was also common, and is part of what former members said was a system of physical abuse and the abuse of authority.
They also charged that they were victims of “abandonment and economic exploitation,” having worked for the MCR, the SCV, and associations affiliated with the groups “without receiving remuneration, which resulted in the economic drain of our families.”
Many of those who left, they said, have faced “extreme difficulties in rebuilding our lives,” as many lack a formal education and have thus struggled to find a career and obtain financial security.
“Some have not been able to study, and others, upon leaving in middle age, find it almost impossible to rebuild their lives,” they said.
Former members of the MCR said these experiences “have not only affected our mental and physical health but have also compromised our ability to live with dignity and secure a stable future.”
For this reason, they said, they asked the pope for “the suppression of the Sodalitium Christianae Vitae, the Marian Community of Reconciliation, the Servants of the Plan of God, the Christian Life Movement, and all other works, companies and associations related to and/or founded by these institutions.”
They also asked for official recognition of their experiences in the SCV network and asked that “measures be taken to hold those responsible accountable for their actions, including us in and expanding” the Special Mission established by Pope Francis to investigate the SCV.
That Special Mission is comprised of Maltese Archbishop Charles Scicluna, adjunct secretary of the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF), and Spanish Monsignor Jordi Bertomeu, an official of the dicastery.
Another request from former MCR members was for the 1981 Concordat governing relations between Peru and the Holy See, which has come under a microscope in recent months after allegations of misuse by SCV financial entities, be respected.
They also asked for “the urgent intervention of the Archbishopric of Lima,” specifically asking cardinal-designate Carlos Castillo of Lima to take charge of the quest for justice.
Financial reparation and support was also requested by former MCR members, who asked that “strong economic reparation mechanisms be established and access to psychological support services be provided for all victims, ensuring that we can rebuild our lives with dignity and security.”
They asked for fair and just compensation in the former of pension and retirement funds for the years they worked in and for the MCR, the SCV, and affiliated projects and associations.
“We trust in your leadership and your commitment to justice and mercy,” they said, saying, “We believe that your intervention can be a beacon of hope, justice, healing and reparation for us and for many others who have suffered in silence.”