A powerful South American Catholic Church group based in Peru is trying to evict several Peruvian villagers from their homes. However, these Peruvian villagers are now being backed by none other than Pope Francis, with the pontiff publicly siding with them and showing his support for their battle.

The pope showed solidarity in a video message to members of the San Juan Bautista de Catacaos farmers' community in northern Peru. These farmers are facing eviction and lawsuits from companies trying to steal their land, and these companies are associated with the powerful South American church group, Sodalitium Christianae Vitae.

"I know what happened to you," the first pope from Latin America told the embattled farmers in Spanish. "Defend your land and don't let them steal it."

Sodalitium Christianae Vitae has been battling the farmers since 2014. It is a Peru-based Catholic group that t runs schools and spiritual retirement centers all over South America. However, the Associated Press noted that they are also involved in real estate, agriculture, and construction companies.

The group, known for its conservative leaning, started in Peru back in 1971 and has since gained thousands of members across the continent. The group has been embroiled in much controversy, from grabbing land from poor farmers to its main leaders being accused of committing sexual abuses against children.

The group is currently under investigators not just from the Peruvian government but also from the Vatican, with Pope Francis recently sending Vatican investigators to meet with the members of the Catacaos farmers community. The investigators also spoke with journalists, Sodalitium leaders, and survivors of abuse.

READ MORE: Pope Francis Reveals 'Political Maneuvers' Being Made During Past Papal Conclaves in New Book About Pope Benedict XVI

Peru-Based Catholic Church Group's Founder Allegedly Molested Young Recruits

Aside from land-grabbing property from Peruvian farmers, one of the group's biggest scandals includes accusations that the founder of the secretive Roman Catholic society sexually molested young recruits.

Archbishop Charles Scicluna of Malta and Monsignor Jordi Bertomeu of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith led the Vatican's investigation into the controversial lay group and invited alleged abuse victims and journalists who have written on the case to the Apostolic Nunciature in Lima, Peru.

Scicluna and Bertomeu are the two most well-known sexual abuse investigators in the Vatican, and their record speaks for itself as their investigation into decades of sexual abuse by the Chilean Catholic Church, the resignation of all Chilean bishops, and the resignation of the Archbishop of Santiago, Ricardo Ezzati, in 2019, per the AP.

Catholic Church Group's Scandal Led to Resignation of Peru Archbishop

Earlier this month, Pope Francis Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Archbishop Jose Antonio Eguren, the now-former Archbishop of Piura and Tumbes in Peru. The archbishop was reportedly involved with the Sodalitium case.

According to the Catholic News Agency, Eguren was affiliated with the controversial group and was implicated by the local Peruvian press over trafficking in Piura and covering up the land-grabbing scandal.

READ MORE: Argentina Rightwing President Javier Milei Hugs Man He Called a 'Filthy Leftist,' Pope Francis

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: PERU | Pope Francis sends Vatican official to Peru once again to investigate corruption case - ROME REPORTS in English