Pope Francis released new papal documents Tuesday that eliminate the application of the “pontifical secrecy” rule in cases of sexual abuse.
Catholic clergy in many countries, including the US, have long used “pontifical secrecy” as justification for not cooperating with police or victims in cases of sexual abuse. In February church leaders called for the rule to be abolished at the Vatican summit. The ending of the practice is expected to increase the transparency of the Catholic church’s handling of these cases and increase cooperation with investigative authorities.
