Vatican secrets

Sexual abuse cases can’t be hidden

Pope Francis’ decision to stop classifying accusations of sexual abuse against Catholic clergy as secrets until they’re investigated by a Vatican panel is a step in the right direction. But it is not enough.

Charles Scicluna, archbishop of Malta, said the application of “pontifical secret” in cases of alleged abuse of children was an excuse, allowing some within the church “to say that they could not, and that they were not authorized to share information with either state authorities or the victims.”

Pope John Paul II approved classifying sexual abuse cases as pontifical secrets in 2001. The decision was meant to protect the privacy of victims and the accused until the cases were ruled upon by the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

While the new rule is better because it removes the excuse for hiding information and instructs church officials to share information requested by prosecutors and police, it does not require church officials to report crimes to civil authorities unless the law in a jurisdiction requires it.

In Pennsylvania and 34 other states, clergy are mandatory reporters, meaning people with reasonable suspicions that a child is being abused or neglected could face criminal penalties for not reporting their suspicions to civil authorities. Mandatory reporters are not required to investigate, just pass along their suspicions to authorities.

The Catholic Church, which has damaged its reputation and, frankly, its soul over the sexual abuse of children by priests and a history of covering up these crimes, needs to adopt mandatory reporting.

Sexual abuse of children is a crime that should be investigated by civil authorities. Ending the Vatican rule of secrecy that let church officials resist cooperation with such investigations is an important reform.

The Vatican should make mandatory reporting its rule, part of its efforts to prevent sexual abuse, which would be a clear signal that it sees the sexual abuse of children — and efforts to cover it up — as criminal.

Adopting mandatory reporting would make clear that the Catholic Church is committed to preventing the sexual exploitation of children and open to letting earthly justice run its course.