Kirchenakte Documented events from judgments, reports and church documents
1974-2019 · 45 years · show in timeline

Holy See 1974 to 2019: Reports, proceedings and decisions on abuse of minors by clergy were subject to the pontifical secret until Pope Francis lifted it for them in December 2019

After the secret instruction Crimen sollicitationis of 1922 and 1962, the Vatican continued to regulate secrecy in abuse cases explicitly. The instruction Secreta continere of 1974 placed extrajudicial reports of offences against morals, together with the proceedings and decision, under the pontifical secret. In 2001 the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith under Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger reserved sexual offences by clerics against minors to itself and laid down: such cases are subject to the pontifical secret. The norms of 2010 repeated this and threatened penalties for anyone who violated the secret. Only with an instruction of 6 December 2019 did Pope Francis lift the pontifical secret for these cases, made clear that state reporting obligations must be met, and prohibited imposing silence on those reporting, victims and witnesses.

Period
1974-2019 (45 years)
Country
Vatican City
Institutions
Holy See
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
Secretariat of State
Category
Sexual abuse, Cover-up
Level of evidence
A Primary source · what does this mean?

What happened to the people

What happened to those affected?

  1. By rescript of 6 December 2019, signed by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, Pope Francis issued the instruction on the confidentiality of legal proceedings: reports, trials and decisions on these offences are no longer covered by the pontifical secret but by ordinary official secrecy. This does not prevent compliance with state laws, including reporting obligations and orders of the courts. No obligation of silence about the facts may be imposed on those reporting, victims and witnesses.
    Evidence: Segreteria di Stato, Pietro Card. Parolin, Istruzione, Nr. 1
    „Non sono coperti dal segreto pontificio le denunce, i processi e le decisioni riguardanti i delitti di cui“
    Rescriptum ex audientia SS.mi: Istruzione Sulla riservatezza delle cause, Istruzione, Nr. 1. Original
    Evidence: Segreteria di Stato, Pietro Card. Parolin, Istruzione, Nr. 4
    „Il segreto d’ufficio non osta all’adempimento degli obblighi stabiliti in ogni luogo dalle leggi statali, compresi gli eventuali obblighi di segnalazione“
    Rescriptum ex audientia SS.mi: Istruzione Sulla riservatezza delle cause, Istruzione, Nr. 4. Original
    Evidence: Segreteria di Stato, Pietro Card. Parolin, Istruzione, Nr. 5
    „A chi effettua la segnalazione, alla persona che afferma di essere stata offesa e ai testimoni non può essere imposto alcun vincolo di silenzio riguardo ai fatti di causa.“
    Rescriptum ex audientia SS.mi: Istruzione Sulla riservatezza delle cause, Istruzione, Nr. 5. Original

Background

Response of the Church

  1. The instruction Secreta continere of the Secretariat of State of 4 February 1974 includes among the matters covered by the pontifical secret extrajudicially received reports of offences against faith and morals as well as the related proceedings and decision. The name of the person reporting could only be disclosed if the authority considered it appropriate to summon accused and accuser together. The 2010 norms cite this provision as their basis.
    Evidence: Congregatio pro Doctrina Fidei, Fußnote 41
    „instructio Secreta continere, De secreto pontificio, 4 februarii 1974“
    Normae de gravioribus delictis, Normae substantiales et processuales, Fußnote 41. Original
    Evidence: Congregatio pro Doctrina Fidei, Fußnote 41
    „4) Denuntiationes extra iudicium acceptae circa delicta contra fidem et contra mores“
    Normae de gravioribus delictis, Normae substantiales et processuales, Fußnote 41. Original
  2. By letter of 18 May 2001, signed by the prefect Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger and the secretary Tarcisio Bertone, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith informed all bishops that sexual offences by a cleric against minors under 18 were reserved to it. Bishops had to report probable cases to Rome after a preliminary investigation; judge, promoter of justice, notary and advocate could only be priests. The letter states: such cases are subject to the pontifical secret. The limitation period was ten years from the victim's 18th birthday.
    Evidence: Congregatio pro Doctrina Fidei, Epistula
    „delictum contra sextum Decalogi praeceptum cum minore infra aetatem duodeviginti annorum a clerico commissum“
    Epistula ad totius Catholicae Ecclesiae Episcopos aliosque Ordinarios et Hierarchas interesse habentes: De delictis gravioribus eidem Congregationi pro Doctrina Fidei reservatis, Epistula. Original
    Evidence: Congregatio pro Doctrina Fidei, Epistula
    „munera Iudicis, Promotoris Iustitiae, Notarii atque Patroni tantummodo sacerdotes valide explere possunt“
    Epistula ad totius Catholicae Ecclesiae Episcopos aliosque Ordinarios et Hierarchas interesse habentes: De delictis gravioribus eidem Congregationi pro Doctrina Fidei reservatis, Epistula. Original
    Evidence: Congregatio pro Doctrina Fidei, Epistula
    „Huiusmodi causae secreto pontificio subiectae sunt.“
    Epistula ad totius Catholicae Ecclesiae Episcopos aliosque Ordinarios et Hierarchas interesse habentes: De delictis gravioribus eidem Congregationi pro Doctrina Fidei reservatis, Epistula. Original
    Evidence: Congregatio pro Doctrina Fidei, Epistula
    „in delicto autem cum minore a clerico patrato praescriptio decurrere incipit a die quo minor duodevicesimum aetatis annum explevit“
    Epistula ad totius Catholicae Ecclesiae Episcopos aliosque Ordinarios et Hierarchas interesse habentes: De delictis gravioribus eidem Congregationi pro Doctrina Fidei reservatis, Epistula. Original
    Evidence: Congregatio pro Doctrina Fidei, Unterschriften
    „+ JOSEPHUS Card. RATZINGER“
    Epistula ad totius Catholicae Ecclesiae Episcopos aliosque Ordinarios et Hierarchas interesse habentes: De delictis gravioribus eidem Congregationi pro Doctrina Fidei reservatis, Unterschriften. Original
  3. The revised norms on the more grave delicts of 15 July 2010 again provide in Art. 30 that such cases are subject to the pontifical secret; anyone who violates the secret is to be punished with appropriate penalties. The limitation period was extended to twenty years.
    Evidence: Congregatio pro Doctrina Fidei, Art. 30 § 1
    „Huiusmodi causae secreto pontificio subiectae sunt“
    Normae de gravioribus delictis, Normae substantiales et processuales, Art. 30 § 1. Original
    Evidence: Congregatio pro Doctrina Fidei, Art. 30 § 2
    „Quicumque secretum violaverit“
    Normae de gravioribus delictis, Normae substantiales et processuales, Art. 30 § 2. Original
    Evidence: Congregatio pro Doctrina Fidei, Art. 7 § 1
    „praescriptione exstinguitur spatio viginti annorum“
    Normae de gravioribus delictis, Normae substantiales et processuales, Art. 7 § 1. Original

See also

Original documents to read

  1. Church document
    Congregatio pro Doctrina Fidei: Epistula ad totius Catholicae Ecclesiae Episcopos aliosque Ordinarios et Hierarchas interesse habentes: De delictis gravioribus eidem Congregationi pro Doctrina Fidei reservatis, 18 May 2001. Original (retrieved 31 Oct 2026)
  2. Church document
    Congregatio pro Doctrina Fidei: Normae de gravioribus delictis, Normae substantiales et processuales, 15 July 2010. Original (retrieved 31 Oct 2026)
  3. Church document
    Segreteria di Stato, Pietro Card. Parolin: Rescriptum ex audientia SS.mi: Istruzione Sulla riservatezza delle cause, 6 December 2019. Original (retrieved 31 Oct 2026)
Change log (2)

The change log is kept in German only.

  • : Aktualisiert: Zusammenfassung, Englische Übersetzung
  • : Aufgenommen

Last changed on 31 October 2026. Is something missing or wrong? Suggest an addition or correction.