2024 Papers by Rocio Figueroa
Abuse in the Latin American Church: An Evolving Crisis at the Core of Catholicism, 2024
Full-text available on request. Rocío Figueroa and David Tombs, ‘Discipline, obedience, and punis... more Full-text available on request. Rocío Figueroa and David Tombs, ‘Discipline, obedience, and punishments: spiritual abuse as an enabler of sexual abuse within Sodalicio’, in Veronique Lecaros and Ana Lourdes Suárez (eds) Abuse in the Latin American Church: An Evolving Crisis at the Core of Catholicism (London and New York: Routledge, 2024), pp. 177-195; https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003401513-16
Available for purchase: https://www.routledge.com/Abuse-in-the-Latin-American-Church-An-Evolving-Crisis-at-the-Core-of-Catholicism/Lecaros-Suarez/p/book/9781032512860
Abstract
This chapter examines Luis Fernando Figari's leadership of the Sodalicio community, and his role in the foundation of two related movements for women, the Marian Community of Reconciliation, and the Servants of God's Plan. It describes the conservative ethos that characterized Figari's vision for Sodalicio and the impact this had on the community's daily life. It then traces the revelations of abuses within Sodalicio that began after the death of Figari's close associate German Doig (2001), the investigation of Doig by Figueroa (from 2006), the crisis provoked by the book on Sodalicio by Pedro Salinas and Paola Ugaz, Half Monks, Half Soldiers (2015), and the subsequent findings of three commissions (the Ethics Commission 2016, the Experts Commission 2017, and the Congressional commission 2019), which recorded evidence of abuses within Sodalicio. The Ethics Commission spoke to the undue emphasis that Sodalicio placed on discipline, obedience, and punishments. We argue that the sexual abuses perpetrated by Figari, Doig, and others demonstrate how sexual abuse can be enabled and sustained by spiritual abuse.
Hacer Teologia y etia teologiac frente a la crisis de los Abusos, 2024
2023 Papers by Rocio Figueroa
Marriage, Families & Spirituality, vol. 29/2 , 2023
This article examines the perspectives of women in Oceania on the topic of conscience in dialogue... more This article examines the perspectives of women in Oceania on the topic of conscience in dialogue with the Apostolic Exhortation Amoris laetitia. Firstly, we briefly explore the Catholic theological tradition concerning conscience, including the role given to magisterial authority and its impact on women, especially after Humanae vitae. Then we elaborate on the approach taken by Pope Francis in Amoris laetitia and examine it in dialogue with the perspectives of Catholic women in Oceania based on two key accounts of Catholic women in the region, the International Survey of Catholic Women (ISCW) and the Oceania Discernment on the Working Document for the Continental Stage for the Synod on Synodality. We find that Catholic women in Oceania are contextually juxtaposing agency and compliance to doctrine and church law when they live out and express their understanding of freedom of conscience.
La Tenda: Prospettiva Persona, 2023
Public access full-text Rocío Figueroa e David Tombs, ‘Obbedire al piano di Dio? L’abuso spiritua... more Public access full-text Rocío Figueroa e David Tombs, ‘Obbedire al piano di Dio? L’abuso spirituale delle suore’, in La Tenda: in prospettiva persona (14 April and 1 May 2023) https://www.centropersonalista.it/latenda/2023/04/14/obbedire-al-piano-di-dio-labuso-spirituale-delle-suore/ and https://www.centropersonalista.it/latenda/2023/05/01/obbedire-al-piano-di-dio-labuso-spirituale-delle-suore-2/ Published in Italian from Rocío Figueroa and David Tombs, ‘El Abuso Espiritual de Religiosas. Caso Estudio: las Siervas del Plan de Dios’, in Teología y Vida, 63 (3), (October 20222) pp. 273-304; http://dx.doi.org/10.7764/TyV/633/5/399-424 (open access). English translation Rocío Figueroa and David Tombs, ‘Obeying God’s Plan? The Spiritual Abuse of Nuns’ in Daniel Fleming, James Keenan, SJ, and Hans Zollner, SJ. (eds), ‘Doing Theology and Theological Ethics in the Face of the Abuse Crisis (Complete Issue)’, Journal of Moral Theology 3 (CTWEC Book Series, No. 3), pp. 140-57. https://doi.org/10.55476/001c.72062 (open access)
Journal of Moral Theology
This study proposes that the term ‘spiritual abuse’ is helpful for an understanding of systemic m... more This study proposes that the term ‘spiritual abuse’ is helpful for an understanding of systemic mistreatment experienced by six former-nuns who belonged to the community ‘Servants of God’s Plan’ (Siervas del Plan de Dios, or SPD) in Peru, Chile, Colombia and Ecuador. None of the nuns reported sexual abuse, so the focus in this chapter is on spiritual abuse not sexual abuse. However, when sexual abuse takes place within a religious institution, it is very common for spiritual abuse to be an enabling factor. A better understanding of spiritual abuse can therefore contribute to a better church response to sexual abuse.
"If People in the Church knew", 2023
is a systematic theology lecturer in Catholic Theological College, Auckland. She has previously l... more is a systematic theology lecturer in Catholic Theological College, Auckland. She has previously lectured and worked in Peru, Italy and Mexico. She worked in the Holy See as head of the women's section in the Pontifical Council for the Laity. Her present research focus is theological and pastoral responses for survivors of Church sexual and spiritual abuse. Ngalaton N. Hungyo is from an indigenous community in Northeast India. She is a doctoral student in the department of Christian Ethics at the United Theological College.
Concilium, 2023
Full-text available in OUR archive by permission of editors. Rocío Figueroa and David Tombs, ‘Dis... more Full-text available in OUR archive by permission of editors. Rocío Figueroa and David Tombs, ‘Discipline, Obedience and Abuse in the Sodalitium’, Concilium 402 (4) (October 2023), pp. 46-55. English https://hdl.handle.net/10523/22925 This is the English translation of the article originally written in Spanish as Rocío Figueroa and David Tombs, 'Disciplina, Obediencia y Abuso en el Sodalicio', Concilium 402 (4) (Septiembre 2023), pp. 51-62.
2022 Papers by Rocio Figueroa
Sexualisierte Gewalt in kirchlichen Kontexten | Sexual Violence in the Context of the Church, 2021
During 2019 we conducted interviews with five women who have current or previous life experience ... more During 2019 we conducted interviews with five women who have current or previous life experience in women’s religious orders (nuns). The women are from Argentina, France, Germany, Peru, and The Philippines. This led to Figueroa and Tombs (2021) 'Seeing His Innocence, I See My Innocence', https://www.academia.edu/48959170/_Seeing_His_Innocence_I_See_My_Innocence_ This further chapter is focused on the three members of the group who experienced sexual abuse by Catholic priests during their time in the religious order. It asks the participants if their vocation and identity as a nun and person of faith influenced positively or negatively their response to the abuse and the impact in their lives. The chapter gives particular attention to: the systemic factors within the Church enabled the abuse; the impact that the abuse had on the women’s sense of self and self-worth; whether or not they viewed the suffering of Christ alongside their own suffering and how they understood this connection.
Sexual Violence in the Context of the Church, 2022
During 2019 we conducted interviews with five women who have current or previous life experience ... more During 2019 we conducted interviews with five women who have current or previous life experience in women’s religious orders (nuns). The women are from Argentina, France, Germany, Peru, and The Philippines. This led to Figueroa and Tombs (2021) 'Seeing His Innocence, I See My Innocence', https://www.academia.edu/48959170/_Seeing_His_Innocence_I_See_My_Innocence_ This further chapter is focused on the three members of the group who experienced sexual abuse by Catholic priests during their time in the religious order. It asks the participants if their vocation and identity as a nun and person of faith influenced positively or negatively their response to the abuse and the impact in their lives. The chapter gives particular attention to: the systemic factors within the Church enabled the abuse; the impact that the abuse had on the women’s sense of self and self-worth; whether or not they viewed the suffering of Christ alongside their own suffering and how they understood this connection.
Teologia y Vida, 2022
Este estudio propone que el término “abuso espiritual” es útilpara comprender el maltrato sis... more Este estudio propone que el término “abuso espiritual” es útilpara comprender el maltrato sistémico experimentado por seis ex religiosas que pertenecieron a la comunidad “Siervas del Plan de Dios”(SPD) de Perú, Chile, Colombia y Ecuador. Hay relativamente pocostextos sobre el tema, lo que es particularmente significativo ya que el abuso de religiosas ha recibido atención mundial en los últimos años. El artículo pretende identificar mejor las áreas que las comunidadesreligiosas necesitarían abordar para trabajar esta problemática demanera positiva e informad
The Canonist, 2022
attained Bachelor's degree in theology at the Potifical Faculty of Theology in Peru and her docto... more attained Bachelor's degree in theology at the Potifical Faculty of Theology in Peru and her doctorate at the Pontifical Gregorian University, is a systematic theology lecturer in Catholic Theological College, Auckland. She has previously lectured and worked in Peru, Italy and Mexico. She worked in the Holy See as head of the women's section in the Pontifical Council for the Laity. Her present research focus is theological and pastoral responses for survivors of Church sexual and spiritual abuse.
2021 Papers by Rocio Figueroa
The Impact of Jesus of Nazareth , 2021
The essay tries to give voices to eight survivors of sexual abuse from Sodalicio movement in Peru... more The essay tries to give voices to eight survivors of sexual abuse from Sodalicio movement in Peru. The aim is to explore the spiritual consequences associated with the abuse and the secondary victimization that survivors suffered from the community, as a theological response tries to propose Jesus as a victim of sexual abuse and questions if it could help survivors in their journey.
When Did we See You Naked? Acknowledging Jesus as a Victim of Sexual Abuse, 2021
Public access full-text of this chapter is available as a free sample download from the publisher... more Public access full-text of this chapter is available as a free sample download from the publisher https://scmpress.hymnsam.co.uk/media/75046/print_ch-17_whendidweseeyounaked.pdf Publisher's website for book https://scmpress.hymnsam.co.uk/books/9780334060321/when-did-we-see-you-naked Rocío Figueroa and David Tombs, ‘Seeing His Innocence, I See My Innocence’, in Jayme R. Reaves, Rocío Figueroa Alvear, and David Tombs. eds. When Did We See You Naked?’: Acknowledging Jesus as a Victim of Sexual Abuse. London: SCM Press, 2021, pp. 287-312. ISBN 978-0-334-06032-1. Abstract This chapter offers findings from qualitative interviews undertaken during 2019 to explore responses to naming Jesus as a victim of sexual abuse. The participants are five female survivors of sexual abuse in Argentina, France, Germany, Peru and the Philippines. Four interviewees are former nuns, and the fifth is a current nun. They are referred to here by the pseudonyms Dina (Germany), Franca (France), Lilian (the Philippines), Lucia (Argentina) and Maria (Peru). The participants discuss their responses with particular attention to the difference that seeing Jesus in this way makes to them personally as a survivor, and the difference they believe it might make to the wider Church
Abusos y Reparacion sobre los comportamientos no sexuales en la Iglesia, 2021
Los escándalos sexuales en la Iglesia católica han generado una progresiva reflexión cada vez más... more Los escándalos sexuales en la Iglesia católica han generado una progresiva reflexión cada vez más profunda al tratamiento del problema. Las conductas delictivas han pasado de ser una cuestión meramente psicopatológica de un clérigo perpetrador a una responsabilidad también sistémica de la institución eclesial. Con el paso del tiempo, se ha podido analizar que las causas de la problemática no resultan meramente sexuales, sino que en el fondo las raíces son de connotación abusiva no sexual. La presente publicación surge como una inquietante respuesta que busca ser más coherente a la verdad de los hechos, exigiendo una narrativa más objetiva y profunda.
Los autores de distintos países, pretenden analizar de manera interdisciplinar toda una serie de abusos híbridos, así como la necesaria reparación de frente a estos atroces delitos. La lectura de la presente obra procura acompañar al lector en el antes y el después de los comportamientos sexuales inapropiados cometidos dentro de la institución eclesial. En la primera parte de la obra se considera algunos de los elementos que anteceden el abuso sexual, tales como: el maltrato infantil, las violencias, las zonas grises, la vulnerabilidad, el abuso espiritual, de poder, de conciencia y aquellos cometidos por figuras carismáticas. En la segunda parte, algunos autores se sitúan en el después de los abusos, abordando distintos elementos de la reparación como la confianza, la justicia y la teología.
2020 Papers by Rocio Figueroa
Seeing His Innocence, I See My Innocence: Responses from Abused Nuns to Jesus as a Victim of Sexual Abuse, 2020
This discussion paper presents the initial findings from qualitative interviews (undertaken durin... more This discussion paper presents the initial findings from qualitative interviews (undertaken during 2019) with a small group (n = 5) of adult women survivors of sexual abuse. The women are all either nuns (n = 1) or former nuns (n = 4), who experienced abuse during their time in religious orders (n = 3), or when they were minors (n = 2). They were asked to read Tombs, Crucifixion and Sexual Abuse , in advance of the interview. The interview then explored their responses to the naming of Jesus as a victim of sexual abuse, with particular attention to what this might mean for survivors and others in the church. Most participants felt that Jesus' experience could have positive value for survivors, and they all
Religion and Gender, 2020
Open access full-text. https://doi.org/10.1163/18785417-01001003
Rocío Figueroa and David Tombs,... more Open access full-text. https://doi.org/10.1163/18785417-01001003
Rocío Figueroa and David Tombs, ‘Recognising Jesus as a Victim of Sexual Abuse: Responses from Sodalicio Survivors in Peru’, Religion and Gender 10.1 (June 2020), pp. 57-75.
Abstract
This article presents the findings from qualitative interviews to explore responses to the idea of Jesus as victim of sexual abuse. The seven participants are adult male survivors of prior church sexual abuse, which they experienced as teenagers and young men. The perpetrators were leaders of the Sodalicio society in Peru. The article by Tombs (1999) on naming the torture of Jesus as sexual abuse was discussed, to assess whether participants see this as persuasive, and as meaningful for sexual abuse survivors, and important for the church. The interviews suggest that: (1) naming Jesus as a victim of sexual abuse was new to all participants; (2) most found the historical and biblical evidence to be persuasive; (3) the group were divided on whether this was of value to survivors of church related sexual abuse; (4) all of the group agreed that it was important for the wider church.
2019 Papers by Rocio Figueroa
Reconociendo a Jesús como víctima de abuso sexual: respuestas de sobrevivientes del Sodalicio en el Perú , 2019
Este informe identifica una serie de publicaciones -Tombs (1999), Heath (2011), Gafney (2013), Tr... more Este informe identifica una serie de publicaciones -Tombs (1999), Heath (2011), Gafney (2013), Trainor (2014)- que han reconocido de forma independiente y explícita a Jesús como víctima de abusos sexuales. También identifica otras investigaciones que han vinculado indirectamente la cruz al abuso sexual, pero no han considerado explícitamente a Jesús como víctima. Seguidamente, presenta los hallazgos iniciales de las entrevistas piloto realizadas durante el año 2018 con un pequeño grupo de sobrevivientes varones adultos y sus reacciones a la idea de Tombs (1999) de señalar a Jesús como víctima de abuso sexual, y lo que esto podría significar para los sobrevivientes u otros miembros de la Iglesia. Todos los miembros del grupo sufrieron abusos por parte de líderes del Sodalicio en el Perú cuando eran adolescentes o jóvenes. Muchos de los participantes fueron entrevistados en investigaciones previas que examinaban el impacto del abuso, con particular interés en el impacto espiritual (Figueroa y Tombs, 2016). Las entrevistas de 2018 sugieren que: (1) la mayoría encontró que la evidencia histórica para afirmar que Jesús fue víctima de abuso sexual puede ser convincente; (2) el grupo estuvo claramente dividido sobre la posibilidad de que este tema pudiera servir directamente a los sobrevivientes de abusos sexuales; (3) todo el grupo indicó que, independientemente de su valor directo para los sobrevivientes, reconocer a Jesús como víctima de abuso sexual podría hacer una diferencia significativa en cuanto a la forma en la cual la Iglesia entiende el abuso y trata a los sobrevivientes.
Religion and Gender, 2020
This article presents the findings from qualitative interviews to explore responses to the idea o... more This article presents the findings from qualitative interviews to explore responses to the idea of Jesus as victim of sexual abuse. The seven participants are adult male survivors of prior church sexual abuse, which they experienced as teenagers and young men. The perpetrators were leaders of the Sodalicio society in Peru. The article by Tombs (1999) on naming the torture of Jesus as sexual abuse was discussed, to assess whether participants see this as persuasive, and as meaningful for sexual abuse survivors, and important for the church. The interviews suggest that: (1) naming Jesus as a victim of sexual abuse was new to all participants; (2) most found the historical and biblical evidence to be persuasive; (3) the group were divided on whether this was of value to survivors of church related sexual abuse; (4) all of the group agreed that it was important for the wider church.
Uznanie Jezusa za ofiarę przemocy seksualnej, 2019
Polish Version: "Recognising Jesus as a victim of sexual abuse".
This report identifies a number ... more Polish Version: "Recognising Jesus as a victim of sexual abuse".
This report identifies a number of publications: Tombs (1999), Heath (2011), Gafney (2013), Trainor (2014), which have independently and explicitly identified Jesus as a victim of sexual abuse in published work. It also identifies other research which has indirectly connected the cross to sexual abuse, but not explicitly named Jesus as a victim. It then presents the initial findings from pilot interviews held during 2018 with a small group of adult male survivors on their responses to Tombs (1999) naming Jesus as sexually abused, and what this might mean for survivors and/or others in the church. Each member of the group experienced abuse by leaders of the Sodalicio society in Peru when they were teenagers or young men. Many of the same participants were interviewed in previous research examining the impact of the abuse, with particular attention to the spiritual impact (Figueroa and Tombs, 2016). The 2018 interviews suggest that: (1) most in the group found the historical evidence for naming Jesus as victim of sexual abuse to be persuasive; (2) the group were sharply divided on whether this was of direct value to survivors of sexual abuses; (3) all of the group indicated that regardless of its direct value to survivors recognising Jesus as a victim of sexual abuse could make a significant difference to how the church understands abuse and treats survivors.
Trauma and Lived Religion: Transcending the Ordinary, 2019
Full-text available on request or author manuscript for this chapter available http://hdl.handle.... more Full-text available on request or author manuscript for this chapter available http://hdl.handle.net/10523/12764
Ch DOI https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-91872-3_8
Bk DOI https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-91872-3
Rocío Figueroa and David Tombs, ‘Lived Religion and the Traumatic Impact of Sexual Abuse: The Sodalicio Case in Peru’ in Ruard R. Ganzevoort and Srdjan Sremac (eds.) Trauma and Lived Religion: Transcending the Ordinary. Palgrave Studies in Lived Religion and Societal Challenges. Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan, 2019, pp. 155-76. ISBN 978-3-319-91871-6.
Abstract
This chapter explores the traumatic impact of sexual abuse on lived religion through a case study of the Sodalicio Society in Peru. It draws on recent interviews with eight male survivors, who are now middle-aged and who were abused when they were younger. The first section explains the background of the Sodalicio community. The second section offers an overview of existing literature on the spiritual consequences of clergy perpetrated sexual abuse. The third section explores the spiritual impact of psychological and spiritual abuse on the eight former members of Sodalicio. The fourth section will argue that recent work identifying Christ's own experience as a form of sexual abuse might offer a new vantage point to address the traumatic impact of sexual abuse.
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2024 Papers by Rocio Figueroa
Available for purchase: https://www.routledge.com/Abuse-in-the-Latin-American-Church-An-Evolving-Crisis-at-the-Core-of-Catholicism/Lecaros-Suarez/p/book/9781032512860
Abstract
This chapter examines Luis Fernando Figari's leadership of the Sodalicio community, and his role in the foundation of two related movements for women, the Marian Community of Reconciliation, and the Servants of God's Plan. It describes the conservative ethos that characterized Figari's vision for Sodalicio and the impact this had on the community's daily life. It then traces the revelations of abuses within Sodalicio that began after the death of Figari's close associate German Doig (2001), the investigation of Doig by Figueroa (from 2006), the crisis provoked by the book on Sodalicio by Pedro Salinas and Paola Ugaz, Half Monks, Half Soldiers (2015), and the subsequent findings of three commissions (the Ethics Commission 2016, the Experts Commission 2017, and the Congressional commission 2019), which recorded evidence of abuses within Sodalicio. The Ethics Commission spoke to the undue emphasis that Sodalicio placed on discipline, obedience, and punishments. We argue that the sexual abuses perpetrated by Figari, Doig, and others demonstrate how sexual abuse can be enabled and sustained by spiritual abuse.
2023 Papers by Rocio Figueroa
2022 Papers by Rocio Figueroa
2021 Papers by Rocio Figueroa
Los autores de distintos países, pretenden analizar de manera interdisciplinar toda una serie de abusos híbridos, así como la necesaria reparación de frente a estos atroces delitos. La lectura de la presente obra procura acompañar al lector en el antes y el después de los comportamientos sexuales inapropiados cometidos dentro de la institución eclesial. En la primera parte de la obra se considera algunos de los elementos que anteceden el abuso sexual, tales como: el maltrato infantil, las violencias, las zonas grises, la vulnerabilidad, el abuso espiritual, de poder, de conciencia y aquellos cometidos por figuras carismáticas. En la segunda parte, algunos autores se sitúan en el después de los abusos, abordando distintos elementos de la reparación como la confianza, la justicia y la teología.
2020 Papers by Rocio Figueroa
Rocío Figueroa and David Tombs, ‘Recognising Jesus as a Victim of Sexual Abuse: Responses from Sodalicio Survivors in Peru’, Religion and Gender 10.1 (June 2020), pp. 57-75.
Abstract
This article presents the findings from qualitative interviews to explore responses to the idea of Jesus as victim of sexual abuse. The seven participants are adult male survivors of prior church sexual abuse, which they experienced as teenagers and young men. The perpetrators were leaders of the Sodalicio society in Peru. The article by Tombs (1999) on naming the torture of Jesus as sexual abuse was discussed, to assess whether participants see this as persuasive, and as meaningful for sexual abuse survivors, and important for the church. The interviews suggest that: (1) naming Jesus as a victim of sexual abuse was new to all participants; (2) most found the historical and biblical evidence to be persuasive; (3) the group were divided on whether this was of value to survivors of church related sexual abuse; (4) all of the group agreed that it was important for the wider church.
2019 Papers by Rocio Figueroa
This report identifies a number of publications: Tombs (1999), Heath (2011), Gafney (2013), Trainor (2014), which have independently and explicitly identified Jesus as a victim of sexual abuse in published work. It also identifies other research which has indirectly connected the cross to sexual abuse, but not explicitly named Jesus as a victim. It then presents the initial findings from pilot interviews held during 2018 with a small group of adult male survivors on their responses to Tombs (1999) naming Jesus as sexually abused, and what this might mean for survivors and/or others in the church. Each member of the group experienced abuse by leaders of the Sodalicio society in Peru when they were teenagers or young men. Many of the same participants were interviewed in previous research examining the impact of the abuse, with particular attention to the spiritual impact (Figueroa and Tombs, 2016). The 2018 interviews suggest that: (1) most in the group found the historical evidence for naming Jesus as victim of sexual abuse to be persuasive; (2) the group were sharply divided on whether this was of direct value to survivors of sexual abuses; (3) all of the group indicated that regardless of its direct value to survivors recognising Jesus as a victim of sexual abuse could make a significant difference to how the church understands abuse and treats survivors.
Ch DOI https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-91872-3_8
Bk DOI https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-91872-3
Rocío Figueroa and David Tombs, ‘Lived Religion and the Traumatic Impact of Sexual Abuse: The Sodalicio Case in Peru’ in Ruard R. Ganzevoort and Srdjan Sremac (eds.) Trauma and Lived Religion: Transcending the Ordinary. Palgrave Studies in Lived Religion and Societal Challenges. Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan, 2019, pp. 155-76. ISBN 978-3-319-91871-6.
Abstract
This chapter explores the traumatic impact of sexual abuse on lived religion through a case study of the Sodalicio Society in Peru. It draws on recent interviews with eight male survivors, who are now middle-aged and who were abused when they were younger. The first section explains the background of the Sodalicio community. The second section offers an overview of existing literature on the spiritual consequences of clergy perpetrated sexual abuse. The third section explores the spiritual impact of psychological and spiritual abuse on the eight former members of Sodalicio. The fourth section will argue that recent work identifying Christ's own experience as a form of sexual abuse might offer a new vantage point to address the traumatic impact of sexual abuse.
Available for purchase: https://www.routledge.com/Abuse-in-the-Latin-American-Church-An-Evolving-Crisis-at-the-Core-of-Catholicism/Lecaros-Suarez/p/book/9781032512860
Abstract
This chapter examines Luis Fernando Figari's leadership of the Sodalicio community, and his role in the foundation of two related movements for women, the Marian Community of Reconciliation, and the Servants of God's Plan. It describes the conservative ethos that characterized Figari's vision for Sodalicio and the impact this had on the community's daily life. It then traces the revelations of abuses within Sodalicio that began after the death of Figari's close associate German Doig (2001), the investigation of Doig by Figueroa (from 2006), the crisis provoked by the book on Sodalicio by Pedro Salinas and Paola Ugaz, Half Monks, Half Soldiers (2015), and the subsequent findings of three commissions (the Ethics Commission 2016, the Experts Commission 2017, and the Congressional commission 2019), which recorded evidence of abuses within Sodalicio. The Ethics Commission spoke to the undue emphasis that Sodalicio placed on discipline, obedience, and punishments. We argue that the sexual abuses perpetrated by Figari, Doig, and others demonstrate how sexual abuse can be enabled and sustained by spiritual abuse.
Los autores de distintos países, pretenden analizar de manera interdisciplinar toda una serie de abusos híbridos, así como la necesaria reparación de frente a estos atroces delitos. La lectura de la presente obra procura acompañar al lector en el antes y el después de los comportamientos sexuales inapropiados cometidos dentro de la institución eclesial. En la primera parte de la obra se considera algunos de los elementos que anteceden el abuso sexual, tales como: el maltrato infantil, las violencias, las zonas grises, la vulnerabilidad, el abuso espiritual, de poder, de conciencia y aquellos cometidos por figuras carismáticas. En la segunda parte, algunos autores se sitúan en el después de los abusos, abordando distintos elementos de la reparación como la confianza, la justicia y la teología.
Rocío Figueroa and David Tombs, ‘Recognising Jesus as a Victim of Sexual Abuse: Responses from Sodalicio Survivors in Peru’, Religion and Gender 10.1 (June 2020), pp. 57-75.
Abstract
This article presents the findings from qualitative interviews to explore responses to the idea of Jesus as victim of sexual abuse. The seven participants are adult male survivors of prior church sexual abuse, which they experienced as teenagers and young men. The perpetrators were leaders of the Sodalicio society in Peru. The article by Tombs (1999) on naming the torture of Jesus as sexual abuse was discussed, to assess whether participants see this as persuasive, and as meaningful for sexual abuse survivors, and important for the church. The interviews suggest that: (1) naming Jesus as a victim of sexual abuse was new to all participants; (2) most found the historical and biblical evidence to be persuasive; (3) the group were divided on whether this was of value to survivors of church related sexual abuse; (4) all of the group agreed that it was important for the wider church.
This report identifies a number of publications: Tombs (1999), Heath (2011), Gafney (2013), Trainor (2014), which have independently and explicitly identified Jesus as a victim of sexual abuse in published work. It also identifies other research which has indirectly connected the cross to sexual abuse, but not explicitly named Jesus as a victim. It then presents the initial findings from pilot interviews held during 2018 with a small group of adult male survivors on their responses to Tombs (1999) naming Jesus as sexually abused, and what this might mean for survivors and/or others in the church. Each member of the group experienced abuse by leaders of the Sodalicio society in Peru when they were teenagers or young men. Many of the same participants were interviewed in previous research examining the impact of the abuse, with particular attention to the spiritual impact (Figueroa and Tombs, 2016). The 2018 interviews suggest that: (1) most in the group found the historical evidence for naming Jesus as victim of sexual abuse to be persuasive; (2) the group were sharply divided on whether this was of direct value to survivors of sexual abuses; (3) all of the group indicated that regardless of its direct value to survivors recognising Jesus as a victim of sexual abuse could make a significant difference to how the church understands abuse and treats survivors.
Ch DOI https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-91872-3_8
Bk DOI https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-91872-3
Rocío Figueroa and David Tombs, ‘Lived Religion and the Traumatic Impact of Sexual Abuse: The Sodalicio Case in Peru’ in Ruard R. Ganzevoort and Srdjan Sremac (eds.) Trauma and Lived Religion: Transcending the Ordinary. Palgrave Studies in Lived Religion and Societal Challenges. Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan, 2019, pp. 155-76. ISBN 978-3-319-91871-6.
Abstract
This chapter explores the traumatic impact of sexual abuse on lived religion through a case study of the Sodalicio Society in Peru. It draws on recent interviews with eight male survivors, who are now middle-aged and who were abused when they were younger. The first section explains the background of the Sodalicio community. The second section offers an overview of existing literature on the spiritual consequences of clergy perpetrated sexual abuse. The third section explores the spiritual impact of psychological and spiritual abuse on the eight former members of Sodalicio. The fourth section will argue that recent work identifying Christ's own experience as a form of sexual abuse might offer a new vantage point to address the traumatic impact of sexual abuse.
Summary
The projects seeks to give voice to male victims of sexual abuse through interviews with eight young men involved with the Sodalicio movement in Peru. The aim of this research is to explore the impact of church-related sexual abuse on each of the interviewees and to identify the short and long-term psychological and spiritual consequences associated with it. We are grateful to all the interviewees for their willingness to participate in this project, and to everyone who helped us in this process in different ways. The limited scale of the project means that the findings cannot be readily generalised, but they support the widely shared conclusion that the damage caused by institutional sexual abuse is often traumatic and profound, and that this is frequently heightened when perpetrators have a religious standing and authority. Despite this, none of the interviewees was given effective pastoral support by the church for years, till the scandal exploded and reached the press. The impact on religious faith varied, and this partly reflected the degree to which the participant identified himself as religious. For participants who did not consider themselves religious, the abuse confirmed their aversion to religion. Participants who previously considered themselves religious, spoke of profound challenges to their faith. One described the impact as ‘catastrophic’ and felt abandoned by God as well as abandoned by the church. Another spoke of his faith being snatched away by a clerical penis. Recognition of different spiritual consequences should be included alongside attention to physical and psychological consequences. Understanding how the physical, psychological and spiritual often occur together, and can magnify each other, needs to be part of a holistic pastoral response to these traumatic experiences.
Publisher's website for book https://scmpress.hymnsam.co.uk/books/9780334060321/when-did-we-see-you-naked
Rocío Figueroa and David Tombs, ‘Seeing His Innocence, I See My Innocence’, in Jayme R. Reaves, Rocío Figueroa Alvear, and David Tombs. eds. When Did We See You Naked?’: Acknowledging Jesus as a Victim of Sexual Abuse. London: SCM Press, 2021, pp. 287-312. ISBN 978-0-334-06032-1.
Abstract
This chapter offers findings from qualitative interviews undertaken during 2019 to explore responses to naming Jesus as a victim of sexual abuse. The participants are five female survivors of sexual abuse in Argentina, France, Germany, Peru and the Philippines. Four interviewees are former nuns, and the fifth is a current nun. They are referred to here by the pseudonyms Dina (Germany), Franca (France), Lilian (the Philippines), Lucia (Argentina) and Maria (Peru). The participants discuss their responses with particular attention to the difference that seeing Jesus in this way makes to them personally as a survivor, and the difference they believe it might make to the wider Church.
Publisher webpage for book https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110699203
Rocío Figueroa and David Tombs, ‘Living in Obedience and Suffering in Silence: The Shattered Faith of Nuns Abused by Priests’, in Mathias Wirth, Isabelle Noth and Silvia Schroer (eds), Sexualisierte Gewalt in kirchlichen Kontexten: Neue interdisziplinäre Perspektiven [Sexual Violence in the Context of the Church: New Interdisciplinary Perspectives] (Berlin and Boston: De Gruyter, 2022), pp. 45-74. ISBN 9783110699043
ABSTRACT: During 2019 we conducted interviews with five women who have current or previous life experience in women’s religious orders (nuns). The women are from Argentina, France, Germany, Peru, and The Philippines. An earlier chapter of findings was published as Rocío Figueroa and David Tombs, ‘Seeing His Innocence, I See My Innocence’, in Jayme R. Reaves, Rocío Figueroa Alvear, and David Tombs. eds. When Did We See You Naked?’: Acknowledging Jesus as a Victim of Sexual Abuse. London: SCM Press, 2021, pp. 287-312, https://scmpress.hymnsam.co.uk/media/75046/print_ch-17_whendidweseeyounaked.pdf
This second chapter offers further findings from the three members of the group who experienced sexual abuse by Catholic priests during their time in the religious order. It asks the participants if their vocation and identity as a nun and person of faith influenced positively or negatively their response to the abuse and the impact in their lives. It gives particular attention to: the systemic factors within the Church enabled the abuse; the impact that the abuse had on the women’s sense of self and self-worth; whether or not they viewed the suffering of Christ alongside their own suffering and how they understood this connection.
and https://www.centropersonalista.it/latenda/2023/05/01/obbedire-al-piano-di-dio-labuso-spirituale-delle-suore-2/
Rocío Figueroa e David Tombs, ‘Obbedire al piano di Dio? L’abuso spirituale delle suore’, in La Tenda: in prospettiva persona (14 April and 1 May 2023).
Published in Italian from Rocío Figueroa and David Tombs, ‘El Abuso Espiritual de Religiosas. Caso Estudio: las Siervas del Plan de Dios’, in Teología y Vida, 63 (3), (October 20222) pp. 273-304; http://dx.doi.org/10.7764/TyV/633/5/399-424 (open access).
English translation
Rocío Figueroa and David Tombs, ‘Obeying God’s Plan? The Spiritual Abuse of Nuns’ in Daniel Fleming, James Keenan, SJ, and Hans Zollner, SJ. (eds), ‘Doing Theology and Theological Ethics in the Face of the Abuse Crisis (Complete Issue)’, Journal of Moral Theology 3 (CTWEC Book Series, No. 3), pp. 140-57. https://doi.org/10.55476/001c.72062 (open access)