Peru Church abuse case could shape future Vatican investigations

Lima, May 8 (EFE).- The Vatican investigation into abuses committed within the Sodalicio de Vida Cristiana could become a model for addressing similar cases in transnational religious organizations spanning different levels of the Catholic Church hierarchy.

Jordi Bertomeu, the Vatican-appointed commissioner tasked with dissolving the Sodalicio and compensating victims, said on Friday that the case led the Holy See to address the issue in a comprehensive way through a commission directly appointed by Pope Francis, in a process later followed by Pope Leo XIV. (Camera: MIKHAIL HUACÁN).

FOOTAGE OF JORDI BERTOMEU, THE VATICAN COMMISSIONER APPOINTED TO DISSOLVE SODALICIO AND COMPENSATE VICTIMS, SPEAKING TO PRESS IN LIMA, PERU.

SOUNDBITES: JORDI BERTOMEU, VATICAN COMMISSIONER APPOINTED TO DISSOLVE SODALICIO AND COMPENSATE VICTIMS (IN SPANISH).

TRANSLATION:

- Personally, and from what I have discussed both with Pope Francis and Pope Leo — with whom I have had a private conversation on this issue — we are learning. I realize that we are learning as we go along.

The Vatican is a structure that sometimes appears very powerful, but it is not quite so.

In other words, the Vatican and the Roman Curia function according to the principle of subsidiarity: matters handled at the diocesan level do not necessarily have to be resolved in the Vatican.

However, we are finding that there are Church organizations that are transnational, operating simultaneously in several countries and across different levels of ecclesial life, involving priests, bishops, lay people and religious orders. These cases fall under the responsibility of different dicasteries — ministries, so to speak.

We are discovering that, given the complexity of these cases, we may need to change the way some investigations are conducted.