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Did Social Justice Pope Pius XI start sex abuse cover ups?: Kieran Tapsell’s essay, “Canon Law on Child Abuse Through the Ages.: Pius XI’s instruction Crimen Sollicitationis (1922) made the entire process a secret one from start to finish. Gone were public “degradations” of offenders, in which clerics were stripped of their status and handed over to the state for punishment: in 1922, Pius XI issued his secret instruction Crimen Sollicitationis. On the front page of the document are these words: “To be kept in the secret archive of the Curia for internal use. Not to be published or augmented with commentaries.” The “curia” referred to in this heading is the central office of the bishop’s diocese under the care of the chancellor, who alone was to have the key...The requirement to dismiss for “more serious cases” had become one where dismissal was available only where there was an impossibility of reforming the priest. 62 Information about clerics committing child sexual abuse, homosexuality and bestiality, obtained through the Church’s internal inquiries and trials, was made subject to the “secret of the Holy Office”, a permanent silence, the breach of which incurred automatic excommunication that could only be lifted by the Pope personally.


https://www.catholicsforrenewal.org/old_pages/documents/CanonLawOnChildAbuseThruTheAges.pdf

Five years later, in 1922, Pius XI issued his secret instruction Crimen Sollicitationis. On the front page of the document are these words: “To be kept in the secret archive of the Curia for internal use. Not to be published or augmented with commentaries.” The “curia” referred to in this heading is the central office of the bishop’s diocese under the care of the chancellor, who alone was to have the key.59 No one was to have access to this safe without the consent of the bishop, the vicar general or 54 Gasparri, editor, Codicem Iuris Canonici Fontes , Vol. 1, (Vatican, Typis Polyglottis, 1926) N.714-2055, 1123

 http://www.awrsipe.com/patrick_wall/selected_documents/1890%20Denunciations%20of%20confessors.pdf . 55 In the revised historical introduction to Sacramentorum Sanctitatis Tutela, Pope Benedict XVI said that strict confidentiality was imposed originally because cases of soliciting in the confessional involved the seal of confession. He then said: “Over time and only analogously, these norms were extended to some cases of immoral conduct of priests.” This statement is supported by the documentary record set out above. But it does not answer the question as to why the secret of the Holy Office was required for some cases of sexual misconduct where the confessional seal was not an issue. http://www.vatican.va/resources/resources_introd-storica_en.html (Accessed 3 July 2013) 56 Edward Peters:

 http://Five years later, in 1922, Pius XI issued his secret instruction Crimen Sollicitationis. On the front page

of the document are these words: “To be kept in the secret archive of the Curia for internal use. Not

to be published or augmented with commentaries.” The “curia” referred to in this heading is the

central office of the bishop’s diocese under the care of the chancellor, who alone was to have the

key.59 No one was to have access to this safe without the consent of the bishop, the vicar general or


54 Gasparri, editor, Codicem Iuris Canonici Fontes , Vol. 1, (Vatican, Typis Polyglottis, 1926) N.714-2055, 1123

http://www.awrsipe.com/patrick_wall/selected_documents/1890%20Denunciations%20of%20confessors.pdf .

55 In the revised historical introduction to Sacramentorum Sanctitatis Tutela, Pope Benedict XVI said that strict

confidentiality was imposed originally because cases of soliciting in the confessional involved the seal of confession. He

then said: “Over time and only analogously, these norms were extended to some cases of immoral conduct of priests.”

This statement is supported by the documentary record set out above. But it does not answer the question as to why the

secret of the Holy Office was required for some cases of sexual misconduct where the confessional seal was not an issue.

http://www.vatican.va/resources/resources_introd-storica_en.html (Accessed 3 July 2013)

56 Edward Peters: http://www.canonlaw.info/canonlaw_menbehindman.htm (Accessed 20 September 2014)

57The Apostolic Constitution, Providentissima Mater Ecclesia of Pope Benedict XV of 27 May 1917:Edward N Peters: The

1917 or Pio-Benedictine Code of Canon Law: in English Translation with Extensive Scholarly Apparatus: Ignatius Press, page

22.

58 Canon 2359§2: Edward N. Peters: The 1917 or Pio Benedictine Code of Canon Law in English Translation p.749.

59 Code of Canon Law: Latin-English Edition (Washington: Canon Law Society of

America, 1984) Canon 377. 

11

the chancellor.60 Evidence of these crimes was to be burned on the death of the priest or after ten

years, with only a brief summary of the facts and the decree retained.61

The requirement to dismiss for “more serious cases” had become one where dismissal was available

only where there was an impossibility of reforming the priest.

62 Information about clerics

committing child sexual abuse, homosexuality and bestiality, obtained through the Church’s internal

inquiries and trials, was made subject to the “secret of the Holy Office”, a permanent silence, the

breach of which incurred automatic excommunication that could only be lifted by the Pope

personally./canonlaw_menbehindman.htm (Accessed 20 September 2014) 57The Apostolic Constitution, Providentissima Mater Ecclesia of Pope Benedict XV of 27 May 1917:Edward N Peters: The 1917 or Pio-Benedictine Code of Canon Law: in English Translation with Extensive Scholarly Apparatus: Ignatius Press, page 22. 58 Canon 2359§2: Edward N. Peters: The 1917 or Pio Benedictine Code of Canon Law in English Translation p.749. 59 Code of Canon Law: Latin-English Edition (Washington: Canon Law Society of America, 1984) Canon 377. 11 the chancellor.60 Evidence of these crimes was to be burned on the death of the priest or after ten years, with only a brief summary of the facts and the decree retained.61 The requirement to dismiss for “more serious cases” had become one where dismissal was available only where there was an impossibility of reforming the priest. 62 Information about clerics committing child sexual abuse, homosexuality and bestiality, obtained through the Church’s internal inquiries and trials, was made subject to the “secret of the Holy Office”, a permanent silence, the breach of which incurred automatic excommunication that could only be lifted by the Pope personally.

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