Transparent, reliable and respectful administration is critical for counteracting sinful behavior within the Catholic Church, said German Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Munich and Freising.
"There are no alternatives to traceability and transparency," he said, adding that he saw no convincing reason why the "pontifical secret" should apply "to the prosecution of criminal offenses concerning the abuse of minors."
"It is not transparency which damages the church, but rather the acts of abuse committed, the lack of transparency or the ensuing cover-up," he said.
