Amidst backlash over allegations of sexual abuse against a once-powerful Peruvian cardinal that went public earlier this week, both the prelate’s successor and the episcopal conference have backed the alleged victim and Pope Francis.

The Sodalitium Christianae Vitae — which long based its U.S. presence in Colorado — on Monday confirmed the dissolution.

A retired archbishop who for decades was Peru's leading Catholic cleric has been disciplined following allegations of sexual abuse, the Vatican has said, confirming press reports. Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani Thorne denies the accusations.

Peruvian Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani has denied a report that alleges he sexually abused a minor in the 1980s, calling the accusations false, but acknowledged that restrictions were placed on his ministry.

Pope Francis is taking the highly unusual decision to dissolve an influential Catholic group from Peru which has been plagued by allegations of abuse from within its community, including allegations related to its founder,

The sanctions imposed on Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani Thorne include restrictions “relating to his public activity, place of residence and use of insignia,” Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said.

The latest blow that the Pope has dealt to Opus Dei is the public and definitive confirmation of the disciplinary punishment of the over-eighty-year-old Peruvian cardinal, former archbishop of

The Peruvian cardinal revealed that in August 2018, the Holy See informally informed him of the existence of a complaint against him, without providing details.

The first cardinal to belong to Opus Dei denied an allegation he abused a teenager in the sacrament of confession.

The once-powerful archbishop of Peruvian capital Lima and the first-ever cardinal of Opus Dei has acknowledged that the Vatican had imposed sanctions on him in 2019 following an allegation of sexual abuse.

Michael Reagan is the son of President Ronald Reagan, a political consultant, and the author of “The New Reagan Revolution” (St. Martin’s Press). Send comments to [email protected]. Follow @reaganworld on Twitter. His column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Lima News editorial board or AIM Media, owner of the newspaper.

Peruvian Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani, the first cardinal of Opus Dei, said on Jan. 26 that abuse accusations made against him in a Spanish daily El País are "completely false," while acknowledging he was sanctioned by the Vatican in the past and saying that the sanctions were lifted by Pope Francis.