Our Founder
A short biography

The Founder of the Christian Life Movement, Luis Fernando Figari, was born in Lima (Peru), on July 8, 1947.

His parents were Alberto Figari (1902-1990) and Blanca Figari (1909-1995). Both were Peruvians.

He studied at Immaculate Heart of Mary Elementary School until he was 10 years of age and then at Holy Mary High School.

He received the Sacraments of Reconciliation, Communion, and Confirmation in 1954. Presiding over the Liturgy was Archbishop Juan Landázuri, O.F.M., who would later have an important role in the approval of the Sodalitium Christianae Vitae, as well as in other religious societies Luis Fernando established, as well as the CLM.

After finishing high school, he studied Humanities and then Law at the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru. Later he studied Theology at the Pontifical and Civil School of Theology of Lima.

He has published articles and books. In fact, he is considered one of the main Catholic thinkers in the Americas. He has strongly backed the ideal of reconciliation, as well as Catholic Social Thought.  He is fully convinced that the lay members of the Church, flowing from their rebirth in the Lord Jesus, should to the gift of Baptism. Thus, according to their condition, they must actively assume their specific role in the mission of the Church and strive in their lives towards sanctity. "We are pilgrims in this life to achieve sanctity, answering to the God given grace we receive", is one of the phrases he says to encourage people to have an awareness of their ultimate goal in life.

In 1965, when he was 15 years old he founded the San Bartolo Youth Centre. It was a forerunner to the Pastoral Centres he would latter encourage as an answer to the needs of evangelization.

After participating in politics and searching for answers in philosophy, he began to walk through the path of faith.

His conversion process reached its culminating point in the foundation of the Sodalitium Christianae Vitae, in 1971. He was 24 years old. He calls that moment the "baptism of a search".

In 1974, he began the Association of Mary Immaculate for women.

In 1997, the Sodalitium Christianae Vitae was approved by Pope John Paul II as a Society of Apostolic Life for consecrated laymen and priests.

After having participated in the first World Youth Day in 1984, having pronounced the "Catechesis on Love" in Saint Paul Outside the Walls by invitation of the late Pope John Paul II,  he founded the Christian Life Movement (CLM). It was in the year 1985. In 1994, the Holy See approved the CLM as an International Lay Association of Christian Faithful of Pontifical Right, also known as an ecclesial movement.

In 1991, Luis Fernando founded the Marian Community of Reconciliation, for women that discovered in their lives the call to a lay consecrated life. In 1995, he founded a Confraternity, Our Lady of Reconciliation. Years later, in 1998, he founded another religious association for consecrated women, the Servants of the Plan of God.

All the members of these institutions share a common spirit and common goals, and form a spiritual family: the Sodalit Family. It consists of men and women of every age, and is now extended throughout the Americas, as well as in some countries of Europe, Asia, Africa and in Australia.

In 2002, Pope John Paul II named Luis Fernando Figari as a Consultor to the Pontifical Council for the Laity.

In 2005, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him as an Auditor in the Synod of Bishops that was held in the Vatican from November 2nd  to 23rd.

In 2006 he was chosen to pronounce the conclusive words to the Holy Father at the Encounter of Pope Benedict XVI with the Ecclesial Movements in Rome. In the presence of more than 250 thousand people gathered in St. Peter's Square, L.F. Figari addressed words of gratitude to the Pope. In name of all the members of the ecclesial movements and new communities, he reaffirmed their commitment to contribute in communion with Peter and under Peter to the great mission of the Church: to proclaim the Lord Jesus to the world and to invite humanity and all earthly realities to transformation according to the divine Plan.

He was also invited by Pope Benedict to participate in the V Latin American General Conference of Bishops held in Aparecida (Brazil) from May 13-31, 2007.

In 2008, Pope Benedict XVI invited our founder to the XII Ordinary General Assembly of Bishops, about The Word of God in the Life and the Mission of the Church.