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Dr Rocío Figueroa

BTh (Philosophy and Theology Pontifical Faculty of Theology and Civil de Lima) 
 LTh (Philosophy and Theology Pontifical Faculty of Theology and Civil de Lima)
STD (Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome)

Role at Te Kupenga: Lecturer in Theology

A Peruvian Catholic Theologian, Rocio 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.  Rocio’s present research focus is theological and pastoral responses for survivors of Church sexual abuse.

Peer-reviewed Publications

Peer-reviewed Books

  • Rocío Figueroa, Una Amiga Santa. Concepción Cabrera de Armida. Mujer, Laica y Mística (Mexico: Editorial de la Cruz, 2021).
  • Rocío Figueroa, Alianza de Amor – Fuentes, Ciudad de México: Alianza de Amor, 2015.
  • Rocío Figueroa, ¿Pareja dispareja? Hombre y mujer, ¿iguales o diferentes? Puebla: UPAEP, 2013.
  • Rocío Figueroa, Hacia la verdad de mí mismo, Ciudad de México: Alianza de Amor, 2011.
  • Rocío Figueroa, C’è senso nel dolore? Riflessioni cristologiche, Roma: Circolo d’Incontro, 2004.
  • Rocío Figueroa, ¿Hay sentido en el dolor? Reflexiones cristológicas, Lima: Círculo de Encuentro, 2004.

Peer-reviewed Journals

2025

2024

  • Rocio Figueroa, “New Zealand Royal Commission and the Catholic Church“, Canon Law Society of Australia and New Zealand, Proceedings (2024) 32-46.  
  • Rocio Figueroa, “Workshops mit Ordensschwestern In Afrika zur Bekampfung von sexuellem und spirituellem Missbrauch” in: Lebendige Seelsorge, 3 (2024), 171-175.  

2023

  • Rocío Figueroa and Tracy McEwan “Conscience in Amoris Laetitia and The Responses of Women in Oceania” Marriage, Families & Spirituality, Intams, 29, (2023) 171-183.  
  • Rocío Figueroa, Aton Hungyo, and David Tombs, “‘If people in the church knew’: Purity, Stigma, and Victim-Blaming”, The Canonist Vol 14 No 2, (2023) pp. 280-291. http://hdl.handle.net/10523/16572; https://clsanz.catholic.org.au/product/the-canonist-vol-14-no-2-2023/
  • Rocío Figueroa and David Tombs, ‘Disciplina, Obediencia y Abuso en el Sodalicio’, Concilium 402 (4) (September 2023), pp. 51-62.  

Translations:
Rocío Figueroa and David Tombs, ‘Discipline, Obedience and Abuse in the Sodalitium, Concilium 402 (4) (October 2023), pp. 46-55. English
Rocío Figueroa and David Tombs, ‘Disciplina, obbedienza e abuso nel Sodalizio di Vita Cristiana’, Concilium 402 (4), pp. 66-77. Italian
Rocío Figueroa and David Tombs, ‘Disziplin, Gehorsam und Missbrauch imSodalicio’, in Concilium 402 (4) (Oktober 2023), pp 389-397. German

2022

  • Rocio Figueroa Alvear, “Latin American Theology and the Pandemic”, Colloquium 54-2 (2022).
  • Rocío Figueroa y David Tombs, “El abuso espiritual de religiosas. Caso de estudio: Siervas del Plan de Dios”, Teología y Vida, 63/3 (2022) 399-424. http://dx.doi.org/10.7764/TyV/633/5/399-424

Translations:

  • 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/
  • 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 (2023) (CTWEC Book Series, No. 3), pp. 140-57. https://doi.org/10.55476/001c.72042

2020

  • Figueroa R. – Tombs, D., ‘Recognising Jesus as a Victim of Sexual Abuse. Responses from Sodalicio Survivors in Peru’, Religion and Gender 10 (2020) 1-19.

2019

  • Figueroa Alvear, R., & Tombs. D., Recognizing Jesus as a Victim of Sexual Abuse: Responses from Sodalicio Survivors in Peru (‘When Did We See You Naked?’ No. 3). (D. Tombs, Ed.). Centre for Theology and Public Issues, University of Otago. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10523/8976

2018

  • Figueroa, R., ‘La reciprocità, una chiave ermeneutica’, Prospettiva Persona, 26 n. 1(January-March, 2018): 73-79.

2017

  • Figueroa Alvear, R., & Tombs. D., ‘Listening to male survivors of church sexual abuse: Voices from Sodalicio abuses in Peru. Canonist, 8(1), 135-167.

2010

  • Figueroa, R.,     ‘Il cristocentrismo rivela i valori propriamente femminili’, Bolletino di Dottrina Sociale della Chiesa’, VI (2010), pp. 47-50.

2003

  • Figueroa, R., ‘La peregrinación del Hermano Bartolomé Lorenzo de José de Acosta’, Vida y Espiritualidad, enero-abril 2003.

Peer-reviews Book Chapters and Edited Volumes

  • Rocío Figueroa and David Tombs, “Discipline, Obedience, and Punishments: Spiritual Abuse as an Enabler of Sexual Abuse within Sodalicio,” in 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
  • Rocío Figueroa and David Tombs, “¿Obedecer el Plan de Dios? El Abuso Espiritual de Religiosas,” in Daniel J. Fleming, James F. Keenan, and Hans Zollner (eds.), Hacer Teología y Ética Teológica Frente a la Crisis de los Abusos, 2024.
  • Rocío Figueroa, “Forgiveness” and “Sacrifice,” in Emily Colgan and Caroline Blyth (eds.), Accompanying Survivors of Sexual Harm: A Toolkit for Churches, The Shiloh Project, 2022.
  • Rocío Figueroa and David Tombs, “Viendo su Inocencia veo mi Inocencia,” in Daniel Portillo (coord.), Abusos y Reparación: Sobre los Comportamientos no Sexuales en la Iglesia, Madrid: PPC, 2021, pp. 93–120.
  • Rocío Figueroa and Philip Gibbs, “Catholics in Oceania,” in Kenneth Ross, Katalina Tahaafe-Williams, and Todd Johnson (eds.), Christianity in Oceania, Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2021, pp. 190–205.
  • 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.
    https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110699203-004
    Open Access Link
  • 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.
    Read Chapter
  • Rocío Figueroa, “Jesus Christ as a Victim: A Christological Light for Contemporary Survivors of Sexual Abuse,” in The Impact of Jesus of Nazareth: Historical, Theological and Pastoral Perspectives, Volume 2 – Social and Pastoral Studies, Sydney: SCD Press, 2021.
  • Editor: Jayme R. Reaves, David Tombs, and Rocío Figueroa (eds.), When Did We See You Naked? Why Acknowledging Jesus as a Victim of Sexual Abuse Matters, Edinburgh: SCM Press, 2021.
  • Rocío Figueroa, “Jesus Christ as a Victim: A Christological Light on Contemporary Survivors of Sexual Abuse. The Sodalicio Case in Peru,” in The Impact of Jesus of Nazareth: Historical, Theological and Pastoral Perspectives, Catholic Institute of Sydney and Sydney College of Divinity, 2021.
  • Rocío Figueroa and Philip Gibbs, “Catholicism in the Pacific,” in Kenneth R. Ross and Todd M. Johnson (eds.), Christianity in Oceania, Edinburgh Companions to Global Christianity, 2020.
  • Rocío Figueroa and David Tombs, “Lived Religion and the Traumatic Impact of Sexual Abuse: The Sodalicio Case in Peru,” in T.R. Ruard Ganzevoort and Srdjan Sremac (eds.), Trauma and Lived Religion: Transcending the Ordinary, Amsterdam: Palgrave Macmillan (Palgrave Studies in Lived Religion and Societal Challenges), 2018, pp. 155–176.
  • Rocío Figueroa, “El gran misterio,” in Jorge Navarro (ed.), Glosas a la Carta a las Familias, Puebla: UPAEP, 2015, pp. 144–157.
  • Rocío Figueroa, “La dimensión laical y las estaciones del alma en Concepción Cabrera de Armida,” in Actas del Centenario de Alianza de Amor, Ciudad de México: Editorial de la Cruz, 2009.
  • Rocío Figueroa, “La mujer creadora de una nueva cultura en tiempos de crisis,” in III Congreso Internacional de la Espiritualidad de la Cruz, Ciudad de México: Editorial de la Cruz, 2008.
  • Rocío Figueroa, “La misericordia: Cammino di riconciliazione con Dio, con noi stessi e con gli altri in Santa Faustina Kowalska,” in Tempo di Misericordia, Associazione Dives in Misericordia, Salerno: Ediciones Granum Sinapsis, 2007, pp. 153–178.

Refereed Conference Proceedings

  • Rocio Figueroa, “Kuibuka Workshops and Research” in Webinar  Linking Local and International Contexts of Safeguarding and Harm , CRA, Australia, 31 October 2025.
  • Rocio Figueroa, “Kuibuka: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Safeguarding Sisters in the Church”, International Safeguarding Conference, Rome, 20 June 2025. 
  • Rocio Figueroa, “From Silence to Voice: African Sisters confront the Abuse of Religious Vows”, International Conference Behind the Veil, University of Regensburg June 2025. 
  • Rocio Figueroa, “Kuibuka program”, Conference Missio Cultural Sensitive Approaches to Safeguarding Women Religious, Rome, 14 June 2025. 
  • Rocío Figueroa, “Kuibuka, a Program for Religious Sisters in Africa to become agents of change against violence”, in Gender-based violence in Jewish and Christian Religious Traditions (Women and Religion Unit), AAR, San Diego, 25 November 2024.
  • Ana Lourdes Suarez, Rocío Figueroa, Veronique Lecaros, Raul Zegarra, “Book Panel: Abuse in the Latin American Church. An Evolving Crisis at the Core of Catholicism (Routledge 2024)”, Religions in the Latina/o Americas Unit, AAR, San Diego, 25 November 2024.
  • Rocío Figueroa, “Sectas Destructivas en la Iglesia Católica”, in Aportes recientes en el análisis de abusos eclesiales: desafíos, avances y nuevas categorías, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, Departamento de Teología, 16 November 2024 (via Zoom).
  • Rocío Figueroa, “The Abuse of Nuns in the Catholic Church: Will it ever emerge from the shadows?”, Annual Conference of the Australian Association for the Study of Religion, Sydney, 30 November 2023.
  • Rocío Figueroa and Aton Hungyo, “‘If People in the Church Knew’: Purity, Stigma and Victim-Blaming”, in Public Theologies in Vibrating Cities: Precious and Precarious, 3–6 October 2022, Curitiba, Brazil.
  • Rocío Figueroa, “Women and the Church”, NZQA Scholarship Talks 2022, 21 September 2022.
  • Rocío Figueroa, “Victims’ Voices from New Zealand”, 55th Annual Conference of the Canon Law Society of Australia and New Zealand, 6 September 2022 (via Zoom).
  • Rocío Figueroa and David Tombs, “Obeying God’s Plan? The Spiritual Abuse of Nuns”, Faith Thinking, University of Otago (Zoom), 26 July 2022.
  • Rocío Figueroa, “Latin American Theology and the Pandemic”, in Theologizing in the Shadow of the Pandemic, SCD Theology Research Network, Sydney College of Divinity, 20 May 2022.
  • Rocío Figueroa, “Spiritual Abuse of Nuns”, Religion and Sexual Abuse Project Conference, University of California, Riverside, 5 March 2022.
  • Rocío Figueroa, “Ecumenism” for Lay Leaders on Liturgy, Diocese of Auckland, 5 June 2021.
  • Rocío Figueroa, “How to live Eucharistic Lives”, Eucharistic Convention, Auckland, 18–19 July 2021.
  • Rocío Figueroa, “Spiritual Abuse of Nuns”, in Spiritual Abuse: Coercive Control in Religions, University of Chester, 4 September 2021.
  • Rocío Figueroa, “Spiritual Abuse”, in 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, organized by Voices of Faith, 29 November 2021.
  • Rocío Figueroa, “Sacrament of Eucharist and Reconciliation”, Diocese of Hamilton, 13 March 2021.
  • Rocío Figueroa, “Reparation and Forgiveness”, webinar for the Master and Diploma in Safeguarding in Ecclesial Environments, CEPROME, Mexico, 11–12 March 2021.
  • Rocío Figueroa, “Ecumenism: One Possible Answer for Contemporary New Zealand”, Catholic Diocese of Auckland – Commission for Ecumenism, 23 February 2021.
  • Rocío Figueroa, “What Does it Mean to Live Eucharistic Lives?”, Worshipping Under Southern Skies webinar, Liturgy Office, Diocese of Auckland, 1 October 2020.
  • Rocío Figueroa, “Abuso espiritual. De líderes abusivos a ministros auténticos”, webinar in the Diploma course by CEPROME, Pontifical Mexican University, 23 and 26 September 2020.
  • Rocío Figueroa, “Authentic Ministry”, webinar for the Sustain Group of Women in Leadership, Laidlaw College, 19 August 2020.
  • Rocío Figueroa, “Latin American Theology and the Pandemic”, seminar series Theologizing in the Shadow of the Pandemic, SCD Theology Research Network, Sydney College of Divinity, 21 August 2020.
  • David Tombs and Rocío Figueroa, “A Missional Theology in Response to Sexual Violence”, ANZATS 2019, Auckland, 1–3 July 2019.
  • Rocío Figueroa, “Concepción Cabrera, laica”, in Concepción Cabrera, en la intimidad con una mujer bienaventurada, Mexico City, 4 May 2019 (preparation for the Beatification of Concepción Cabrera).
  • Rocío Figueroa, “Transforming Ministry Training after Leadership Abuses: Toward Authentic Ministry”, ANZATFE 2019, Auckland, 19–21 June 2019.
  • Rocío Figueroa, “Overcoming Silence – Women’s Voices in the Catholic Abuse Crisis”, Voices of Faith, Rome, 27 November 2018.
  • Rocío Figueroa, “Amoris Laetitia”, National Association of Principals of Catholic Secondary Schools, Auckland, 13–14 August 2018.
  • Rocío Figueroa, “The Experience of Shame”, symposium Theologians Facing Sexual Abuse, Centre for Theology and Public Issues and Good Shepherd College, 28 April 2018.
  • Rocío Figueroa, “The Joy of Love: Amoris Laetitia”, Columba Centre, Auckland, 23 November 2017.
  • Rocío Figueroa, “The Abused Body of Christ”, Catholic Institute of Sydney, The Impact of Jesus of Nazareth, Sydney, 28–29 September 2017.
  • Rocío Figueroa, “Listening to Male Survivors of Church Sexual Abuse”, University of Otago, Dunedin, 11 April 2017.
  • David Tombs and Rocío Figueroa, “Listening to Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse: The Sodalicio Case in Peru”, Laidlaw College, Auckland, 7 April 2017.
  • Rocío Figueroa and David Tombs, “Telling Difficult Stories: Pastoral Care Issues for Male Survivors of Church-Related Sexual Abuse”, University of Otago, Dunedin, 3 December 2016, Chaplaincy Conference.
  • Rocío Figueroa, “La reciprocidad, una clave hermenéutica para la terapia familiar sistémica”, Congreso Internacional de Terapia Sistémica Familiar, Guadalajara, 20 June 2014.
  • Rocío Figueroa, “Mujer y varón en la familia”, II Jornadas CEFAS: Mujer y varón en la Familia, Puebla, 25 March 2014.
  • Rocío Figueroa, “Los derechos de la mujer”, Foro del Día Internacional de la Mujer, DIF Estatal, Puebla, 8 March 2014.
  • Rocío Figueroa, “La reciprocidad, una respuesta para la conciliación familia y trabajo”, DIF Estatal, Puebla, October 2013.
  • Rocío Figueroa, “Mucho más que media naranja”, Instituto México de Puebla, Puebla, 6 June 2013.
  • Rocío Figueroa, “Machismo y Liberación Femenina”, VI Congreso Internacional del Movimiento Hijos de Hogares Nuevos, Puebla, 12 October 2012.
  • Rocío Figueroa, “Complementariedad mujer y hombre”, XII Encuentro Internacional de Centros de Cultura: Género y Feminismo en Perspectiva, Puebla, 8–10 November 2011.

Other Forms of Dissemination

  • Developer and Consultant for video series Voices of Faith.

Voices of Faith focuses on the issue of exploitation and abuse of religious sisters and created a video series to educate and explain factors that contribute to abuse among vulnerable sisters.

Video Series: YouTube Playlist – Voices of Faith
Website: https://voicesoffaith.org/

Articles and Interviews

  • Figueroa Alvear, R. “They stripped me.” Tui Motu, March 1, 2019. Link
  • Figueroa, R. & Tombs, D. “The Spiritual Impact of Sexual Abuses.” Tui Motu InterIslands Magazine, February 1, 2017. Link
  • Figueroa, R. “En el Sodalicio había una búsqueda de poder antes que una búsqueda de espiritualidad.” Altavoz, February 22, 2012. Link

Radio & TV Interviews

  • Radio Life FM, “Royal Commission Abuse in Care Report,” The Morning Wake Up, August 5, 2024.
  • Radio Rhema, “Royal Commission Abuse in Care Report.” Shine TV Video
  • Radio East Side FM 89.7, Sydney. Interview Link

Articles, Interviews & Citations

  • “Time for churches to confront their systemic role in abuse.” The Post, July 26, 2024. Link
  • “The Catholic Church needs deep renewal if its abuse apologies are to mean anything.” Stuff, October 22, 2022. Link
  • “Theologian: Church should listen to abuse survivors’ voices.” NZ Catholic, September 25, 2022.
  • “Religious vow of obedience needs to be redefined.” Crux, February 7, 2022. Link
  • Orejana, R. “Redefinition of obedience needed to stop spiritual abuse.” NZ Catholic, January 10, 2022. Link
  • “The importance of meals in Jesus’ ministry.” NZ Catholic, August 20, 2021. Link
  • “Ecumenism could awaken desire for God.” NZ Catholic, March 26, 2021. Link
  • “Listening to survivors’ testimonies painful.” NZ Catholic, February 1, 2021. Link
  • Allen, E. A. “Church must tackle underlying causes of abuse.” Crux, September 24, 2020. Link
  • Orejana, R. “Women in seminaries debate prompts questions.” NZ Catholic, June 3, 2020. Link
  • “Doing Theology in the Face of Abuse.” Centre for Child Protection, Gregorian University, January 18, 2020. Link
  • Orejana, R. “Protection from spiritual abuse needed in safeguarding.” NZ Catholic, January 9, 2020. Link
  • “Sexual abuse of nuns within the Catholic Church.” National Radio Spain, January 31, 2019. Link
  • “#NunsToo: The Sexual Abuse of Nuns.” BBC Women’s Hour, February 7, 2019. Link
  • “Cuatro de cada diez religiosas han sufrido abusos sexuales.” Religión Digital, February 8, 2019. Link
  • “Challenging Clergy Abuse in the Catholic Church: Interview with Rocío Figueroa.” Shiloh Project, February 21, 2019. Link
  • “Nuns empowered to speak out about abuse.” NewsRoom, March 11, 2019. Link
  • Munsterman, H. “Troostrijk: Jezus is zelf ook seksueel misbruikt.” Nederlands Dagblad, April 12, 2019. Link
  • “NZ researchers argue Jesus may have suffered sexual abuse.” CathNews, April 10, 2019. Link
  • Doody, C. “Rocío Figueroa: Jesucristo fue víctima de abusos sexuales.” Religión Digital, April 10, 2019. Link
  • Goins-Phillips, T. “Theologian Argues Jesus Suffered Sexual Abuse During Earthly Ministry.” FaithWire, April 9, 2019. Link
  • Harris, E. “Theologian, survivor argues that Jesus himself suffered sexual abuse.” Crux Now, April 9, 2019. Link
  • Ruiz Peña, N. “Jesús fue víctima de abusos sexuales.” NoticiaCristiana, April 12, 2019. Link
  • Orejana, R. “Community should be a safe space for abuse victims.” NZ Catholic, November 3, 2019. Link
  • “Sexual Abuse Kills the Soul.” Alfa y Omega, January 29, 2018. Link

Memberships

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