This paper examines, within the context of Peruvian society marked by economic crisis, political and social violence, and authoritarianism—spanning the military regime of the 1970s, the democratic governments of the 1980s, and the autocratic rule of Alberto Fujimori—the actions of Catholic clerical and lay sectors in two areas of confrontation with the State: the defense of human rights and support for pacification, and the defense of life in matters of demographic growth, including natality, sexual morality, and opposition to abortion. In doing so, the paper seeks to discuss the local characteristics of inter-institutional relations, the unity and divergences within existing ecclesial trends, the relevance of strategies devised in these confrontations, and the capacity to influence and transform certain public actions within a secular context. Ultimately, the study aims to contribute to the panel's broader debate on Catholic engagement in the public sphere in Latin America.