The Diócesis de Getafe ends a religious community after abuse allegations

The news has shaken those who closely follow religious life in Madrid and the surrounding areas: the Diócesis de Getafe has decreed the dissolution of the Hermanos del Amor Misericordioso, a community that had been under suspicion for years due to allegations of sexual, power, and conscience abuse. The decision comes after months of pressure and testimonies from more than thirty people who claim to have suffered isolation, physical punishment, and psychological manipulation within the group.

The closure is not immediate, but it marks a turning point for the priests, deacons, and seminarians who, since 2008, had shared life and training in Serranillos del Valle. Now, each will have to find their own path, whether in other seminaries, congregations, or communities. The diocese has said it will offer support, though it has not specified how the transition will be managed or set any concrete deadlines.

The measure comes shortly after the Archidiócesis de Madrid dissolved the female branch, the Hijas del Amor Misericordioso, following a church investigation that deemed its continuation unviable. In both cases, the complaints pointed to sect-like dynamics, total control over members’ lives, and broken promises regarding religious vocations. Victims’ accounts include everything from the inspection of emails and phones to the handing over of instruments for self-inflicted physical punishment, as well as warnings that critical thinking was the work of the devil.

The bishopric of Getafe has avoided explicitly mentioning the allegations in its statement, limiting itself to referring to a “prolonged period of reflection and support.” However, former members and their legal representatives consider the dissolution a logical consequence of years of permissiveness and lack of oversight. The lawyer for several victims warns that ordaining priests trained in this environment without a process of “decoding” would be reckless.

The diocese’s response has been met with scepticism by those who lived within the group. They criticise the lack of self-criticism and the absence of public apologies, pointing out that the Church has taken too long to act and that there are still unanswered questions about the future of those who received their training in this context.

The case of the Hermanos del Amor Misericordioso highlights the difficulty of monitoring religious communities that are not officially recognised and the need for more agile mechanisms to detect and stop abusive dynamics. Although the diocese insists it is not passing negative judgement on the vocation of those affected, the reality is that communal life is dissolving and the casa de Serranillos del Valle ceases to be a reference point for those who sought their religious future there.

In the Sierra de Guadarrama and in towns south of Madrid, the presence of religious communities has been part of the social landscape for decades. Many of these associations are founded with a spirit of service and spirituality, but the lack of canonical recognition can leave their members vulnerable. Recent experience shows that internal oversight and transparency remain ongoing challenges for the Church in the region.