Pope Francis issued new laws that abolished the “pontifical secret” that has been used in cases of sexual abuse by Roman Catholic clergy.
About:
Pontifical secret, or simply “papal secrecy”, was the diktat of confidentiality that secured and kept secret all sensitive information on aspects of the governance of the Church.
It was similar to the classification as “secret”, “classified”, or “confidential” that governments or organisations the world over give to certain kinds of information. Those bound by the pontifical secret take an oath at the beginning of their service to in no way break the secret.
Materials covered by the pontifical secret include diplomatic communications made between the Vatican’s nunciatures around the world, but also apply to a range of other subjects.
These also covers penal processes concerning major crimes handled by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, including cases involving the sexual abuse of minors.
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