Accountability Transparency Pontifical Secret Title: Legal lessons: Past abuse cases help train canon lawyers Author: Carol Glatz Publisher: The Catholic Spirit Date: 07APR2021 When Pope Francis abolished the “pontifical secret” covering the church’s judicial handling of cases of the sexual abuse of minors, it was hailed as a major step forward in promoting greater transparency
Author: Christine P. Bartholomew Publication: The Conversation Date: 13JAN2020 Pope Francis recently removed one of the barriers facing sex abuse victims looking for justice – the “Rule of Pontifical Secrecy.” The rule is an obligation under the church’s laws to keep sensitive information regarding the Catholic Church’s governance strictly confidential. This rule allowed church officials to withhold
Pontifical Secret Abolition Ground-breaking Author: Joshua J. McElwee Publication: National Catholic Reporter Date: 30DEC2019 Several prominent canon lawyers are praising Pope Francis’ decision to abolish the practice of imposing strict confidentiality rules on the Vatican’s legal proceedings in cases involving clergy sexual abuse or misconduct. The move, the lawyers say, will simplify communication between local church officials and