The lifting of “pontifical secrecy” and the relationship between the state and Church systems of justice in the subject matter of sex offences against minors

Abstract

The article describes the issue of the relationship between the Catholic Church’s judicial system and the national law enforcement authorities and judiciary powers after 6 December 2019, when Pope Francis lifted the so-called “pontifical secrecy” concerning canon criminal cases of clerics accused of sexually abusing minors. After a brief outline of the regulations re- ferring to the institution of secrecy in the canonical legal order and arguments justifying the need to keep it, the author presents certain provisions on pontifical secrecy and the conse- quences of lifting it for the relationship between the state and the Church’s system of justice.

Keywords

• canon law
• Catholic Church
• canonical procedure
• sexual abuse of minors
• secrecy
• pontifical secrecy