Religious leaders and families of the missing gathered in a district of Mexico City for an interfaith prayer vigil. The event marked significant anniversaries related to Saint Francis and emphasized dialogue among Christian, Jewish, and Buddhist communities. Participants honored the thousands of disappeared in Mexico. A senior church leader urged attendees to be artisans of peace and defenders of religious freedom. The gathering concluded with fellowship, highlighting hope and unity among diverse faith groups present at the event.
The dissolution of the Sodalicio de Vida Cristiana in Peru reveals how canon law was used to evade taxes. Reports indicate that Jesuit Gianfranco Ghirlanda and Archbishop Lluís Martínez Sistach provided legal opinions validating the group's tax-exempt status for its funeral business. This support allowed the organization to bypass Peruvian regulations for years. Later, Cardinal Joseph Tobin and Bishop Noel Londoño supervised the group but failed to conduct thorough financial audits or protect victims effectively. Their interventions ultimately delayed the Sodalicio's complete suppression, leaving victims to seek justice after the Vatican's final decision.
Jesuit priest Txuo Rodríguez Villaroel is leading reconstruction efforts in Venezuela four months after a devastating earthquake killed 6,509 people and injured over 226,000. According to Rodríguez, the emergency has entered a prolonged phase marked by housing shortages, disrupted education, and economic hardship. He notes that 400 schools were affected, impacting hundreds of thousands of children. Working with Manos Unidas, the priest focuses on educational support and humanitarian aid across 24 schools. Despite the ongoing crisis and political instability, Rodríguez expresses hope for Venezuela's recovery, citing the solidarity shown by the Venezuelan people in the aftermath of the disaster.
Several trucks loaded with winter clothing, blankets, and food left Rome's Santa Sofia center for Ukraine on October 27. The aid, collected from Holy See employees between October 22 and 24, was organized by the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. Monsignor Luis Marín de San Martín, the Vatican almoner, stated the initiative aims to provide practical support to those suffering from the war. The convoy will deliver supplies to ecclesiastical organizations in Kyiv. The almoner is traveling to Ukraine with Massimo Ralli to visit Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro, and Fastiv, expressing the Pope's care for the local population. This follows recent deliveries of life-saving medications worth 20 million euros.
A Jesuit Refugee Service representative recently visited the Kakuma refugee camp in Turkana County, Kenya, near the South Sudan border. The visit highlighted the organization's focus on accompaniment through education, digital training, and livelihood support. Key initiatives included the New Cush inclusive school, the Arrupe Center for digital skills, and the Pathfinder project supporting entrepreneurs like Fabiola. The report emphasizes that holistic care, including psychosocial support, restores dignity to refugees. The experience underscores the importance of walking alongside displaced persons to help them build autonomous futures within the community.
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Illustrative photo, not from the original report · Photo by David Kuko on UnsplashPersecuted church
Survivors of the Sodalicio de Vida Cristiana in Peru have issued a statement thanking Pope Francis for suppressing the group and appointing a commissioner for victim reparations. However, they also accuse former leaders and four Peruvian bishops of illegally privatizing church assets intended for compensation. The group demands transparency regarding financial operations involving the San Juan Bautista Civil Association and politician Rafael López Aliaga. They further criticize the continued presence of accused members in Lima parishes and the inclusion of journalist Fátima Saldonid in the papal press corps. The survivors insist on full accountability and the protection of victims' rights.
Survivors of the dissolved religious group Sodalicio de Vida Cristiana in Peru have requested a meeting with Pope Leo XIV during his upcoming trip to the country from November 11 to 16. In an open letter, 33 victims stated that the suppression process remains incomplete and that former members continue operating in the same locations. They expressed concern over the lack of justice and accountability, noting that the Church failed to prevent abuses over the past 26 years. The group seeks recognition and integral repair, citing UN orders for a truth commission and criticizing the judicial persecution of journalists who exposed the scandal. The Pope ordered the group's dissolution in January 2025.
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Elvira Conde of FACIAM warned that homelessness in Spain is increasing, with official data showing a 57.5% rise in daily shelter usage between 2022 and 2024. During an event in Madrid, Conde stated that social policies are not keeping pace with poverty. The campaign, supported by Caritas and other groups, calls for preventive housing measures and an end to discrimination. On October 22, simultaneous marches will take place in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, and Bilbao to demand dignified housing and better social support for vulnerable populations.
The Archdiocese of Seville in Spain has stated it will not issue public statements regarding abuse allegations against former missions delegate Eduardo Martin Clemens. The decision follows a complaint from a young man, with the diocese citing canonical jurisdiction rules that place the investigation in Trujillo, Peru, where the alleged incidents occurred. While Clemens denies abuse, claiming the accuser sought financial gain, parishioners in Seville’s Santa Cruz district describe the timing of his resignation as suspicious. The silence from Archbishop José Ángel Sáiz Meneses’ office has drawn criticism, as experts note the local diocese could still take precautionary measures despite the location of the events.
Eduardo Martín Clemens, an 80-year-old priest from Seville, Spain, has resigned as parish priest of Santa Cruz and diocesan missions delegate. He faces accusations of abuse committed in Peru. Although he denies any aggression or violence, he admits to paying 80,000 euros to the accuser. Martín Clemens claims he is the victim of blackmail. The case highlights ongoing scrutiny of clergy conduct in international missions and the financial settlements involved in such disputes.
Sor Lucía announced the launch of the 48th humanitarian corridor and the fourth Caravan of Kindness from Manresa, Spain, to Ukraine. The convoy, escorted by Mossos d'Esquadra police, includes ambulances, generators, and medical supplies. Pope Leo XIV sent a message of support to the volunteers. The aid aims to assist civilians in Kramatorsk, where the population has dropped significantly due to ongoing violence. Sor Lucía emphasized that the war continues and called for sustained solidarity to help those suffering from the conflict and winter conditions. The initiative highlights the role of faith-based action in providing concrete relief during the crisis.
Martin Scheuch presented his book 'Las líneas torcidas' at the San Antón church in Madrid, Spain. The work details his thirty years in the Sodalicio, an institution closed by Pope Francis. Scheuch describes a system of psychological abuse and control, claiming the abusers sought dominance rather than pleasure. He compares these patterns to issues in the Opus Dei, Neocatechumenal Way, and Legionaries of Christ. Writer Raúl Tola moderated the event, while Juan Cuatrecasas of Infancia Robada highlighted ongoing impunity for abuses against children. Scheuch states the book aims to help readers identify manipulation of their will.
On January 14, the agro-industrial company Central Romana, supported by National Police agents, evicted the Mota Marte family from their home in Santa Cruz de El Seibo, Dominican Republic. The eviction occurred without prior notice or a signed order, despite the family residing there for over 35 years. The article states that Magalis Mota, widow of a worker who died electrocuted while employed by the company, received no compensation. Bishop Jesus Castro mediated briefly, but the nine family members were displaced. The outlet highlights broader issues of land occupation and labor conditions in the region attributed to the company.
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