It’s a story of pain and persecution. It’s also a story of courage in the fight for justice and truth. This difficult journey lasted for years, but luckily it crossed paths with people who were strong enough to embrace the truth and see that justice was served. Two of these people were Pope Francis and Pope Leo XIV. These events took place in Peru, and this is the story of Paola Ugaz and Pedro Salinas.
In 2015, they published the book ‘Mitad Monjes, Mitad Soldados’ (‘Half Monks, Half Soldiers’) that exposed the abuses of a Peruvian-based group of consecrated lay people and priests named ‘Sodalicio de Vida Cristiana’: a conservative Catholic movement founded in Lima in the early 1970s by Peruvian theologian Luis Fernando Figari. Further evidence of an underground network of sexual abuse and financial malpractice was uncovered during the investigation. In 2017, Pope Francis visited Peru and met with Bishop José Antonio Eguren, one of the ‘Sodalitium’’s most prominent members, at a public event. Both Paola Ugaz and Pedro Salinas voiced their dissent: Ugaz on Twitter and Salinas in a newspaper article. Bishop Eguren filed a defamation lawsuit against Salinas, and on 8 April 2018, a judge found him guilty. “I was contacted by the apostolic nuncio, Nicola Girasoli,” Paola tells SIR. “He told me that he and other bishops — Carlos Castillo, Pedro Barreto and Robert Prevost — supported us and were compiling a case file. That’s how I first heard about Prevost.”
A few months later, the bishop, future Pope, organised a meeting with victims of the Sodalicio and members of the Bishops’ Conference. However, the meeting was unsuccessful. It was ahead of its time. Prevost thus decided to help the victims on an individual basis.”
However, the two journalists’ ordeal was far from over. “The persecution against us escalated and they tried to incarcerate us on the basis of falsehoods.” Years later, in 2022, Paola met Pope Francis in Rome. “I asked him to send a mission to Peru to investigate the issues we had denounced.” Eight months later, Pope Francis sent a delegation headed by the Bishop of Malta, Charles Scicluna, and Monsignor Jordi Bertomeu. They confirmed our allegations and much more. They informed the Pope upon their return to Rome, who then decided to dismiss Bishop Eguren. This happened on 2 April 2024.
This is when problems began for Prevost. “The Sodalicio movement was very upset and launched a campaign against Prevost.”
What was the objective? Paola Ugaz is certain. “The aim was to derail the investigation into the Sodalicio.”
“In October 2024, we returned to Rome with Pedro Salinas and met Prevost,” continues the journalist. “As always, he listened to our concerns and promptly initiated the closure of the Sodalicio. In December, Prevost organised a meeting with Pope Francis, contributing to the organisation’s closure on 14 April 2025, just one week before Pope Francis’s death.”
While in Rome to follow the Conclave, Paola Ugaz and Pedro Salinas had the opportunity to attend Pope Leo XIV’s first audience with the international press. Seated in the front row, the two journalists were able to shake hands with and greet the Pope. “We presented him with a scarf from the Peruvian Andes,” says Paola, “made of alpaca wool by women from low-income communities who earn a living by exporting hand-woven garments. I also gifted him some Peruvian chocolates, as he has a sweet tooth.” “When he spoke of the imprisoned journalists – she added – I felt it was a message meant for me and Pedro Salinas.”
“Both Leo XIV and Francis held good journalism in high regard, seeing it as a breath of fresh air for institutions and a catalyst for change.”
“I consider this is good news for journalism, which is under attack all over the world.”
In light of his conduct in the diocese and in the Peruvian Episcopal Conference, how do you think this pontificate will be marked in terms of the fight against sexual abuse in the Church? “It will be a continuation of Pope Francis’ efforts”, Paola Ugaz says with conviction. “He has shown empathy and humanity in the face of abuse inside the Church.” She concludes: “My wish today is that Pope Leo XIV will visit Peru soon.”
