Pope lifts secrecy rules for sex abuse cases

Rome (CNN) Pope Francis has abolished Vatican secrecy rules for cases of sexual abuse, effectively allowing the Catholic church to share documents and information with civil authorities, and allow victims to be updated of the status of their cases.

The church already shares files with authorities in some countries, such as the United States, but the practice is not universal. Some Catholic churches around the world have invoked the "pontifical secret" to refuse cooperation in certain cases.

Pontifical secret is considered the highest level of confidentiality in church law which covers a number of administrative cases at the Vatican, such as nominations of cardinals, investigations by the Secretariat of State, and by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

The violation of pontifical secrecy can result in excommunication from the church.

"Pontifical secret is no longer an excuse," the Vatican's top investigator for sexual abuse, Archbishop Charles Scicluna said.