Vos estis lux mundi

• The original  Apostolic Letter of Pope Francis, "Vos estis lux mundi," issued ad experimentum by Motu proprio on 7th May 2019, remained in force until 30th April 2023. A revised and definitive version of the Motu proprio was issued on 25th March 2023, which came into effect on May 1st 2023. 

• A new Article 10 was added to the 2023 version and in consequence the numbering of the subsequent articles in the 2019 version was incremented by one in the definitive 2023 version.

Art. 1

§1. These norms apply to reports regarding clerics or members of Institutes of Consecrated Life or Societies of Apostolic Life and Moderators of international associations of the faithful recognized or erected by the Apostolic See concerning:

a)

— a delict against the sixth commandment of the Decalogue committed through violence or threat or through abuse of authority, or by forcing someone to perform or submit to sexual acts;

— a delict against the sixth commandment of the Decalogue committed with a minor or with a person who habitually has imperfect use of reason or with a vulnerable adult;

— the immoral acquisition, possession, exhibition or distribution, in any way or by any means, of pornographic images of minors or of persons who habitually have imperfect use of reason;

— the recruitment or inducement of a minor or of a person who habitually has imperfect use of reason or of a vulnerable adult to pose in a pornographic manner or to participate in real or simulated pornographic exhibitions;

b) conduct carried out by the subjects referred to in art. 6, consisting of actions or omissions intended to interfere with or avoid civil investigations or canonical investigations, whether administrative or penal, against one of the subjects indicated in §1 regarding the delicts referred to in letter a) of this paragraph.

§2. For the purposes of these norms,

a) “minor”: means any person under the age of eighteen; equivalent to a minor is a person who habitually has imperfect use of reason [9];

b) “vulnerable adult” : means any person in a state of infirmity, physical or mental deficiency, or deprivation of personal liberty which, in fact, even occasionally, limits their ability to understand or to want or otherwise resist the offence;

c) “child pornography”: means any representation of a minor, regardless of the means used, involved in explicit sexual activities, whether real or simulated, and any representation of sexual organs of minors for lewd purposes or for profit.

Art. 1 §2 a-b

§2. For the purposes of these norms,

a) “minor”: means any person under the age of eighteen; equivalent to a minor is a person who habitually has imperfect use of reason;

b) “vulnerable adult” : means any person in a state of infirmity, physical or mental deficiency, or deprivation of personal liberty which, in fact, even occasionally, limits their ability to understand or to want or otherwise resist the offence;

Art. 2

§1. Taking into account the provisions that may be adopted by the respective Episcopal Conferences, by the Synods of the Bishops of the Patriarchal Churches and the Major Archiepiscopal Churches, or by the Councils of Hierarchs of the Metropolitan Churches sui iuris, the Dioceses or the Eparchies, individually or together, must provide for institutions or offices that are easily accessible to the public for the submission of reports.  The reports are to be submitted to these ecclesial institutions and offices.

§2. The information referred to in this article is protected and treated in such a way as to guarantee its safety, integrity and confidentiality pursuant to canons 471, 2° CIC and 244 §2, 2° CCEO.

§3. Except as provided for by art. 3 §3, the Ordinary who received the report shall transmit it without delay to the Ordinary of the place where the events are said to have occurred, as well as to the Ordinary of the person reported.  Unless otherwise agreed upon by the two Ordinaries, it is the responsibility of the Ordinary of the place where the events are said to have occurred to proceed according to the law provided for the specific case.

§4. For the purposes of this title, Eparchies are equated with Dioceses and the Hierarch is equated with the Ordinary.

Art. 2 §1

Taking into account the provisions that may be adopted by the respective Episcopal Conferences, by the Synods of the Bishops of the Patriarchal Churches and the Major Archiepiscopal Churches, or by the Councils of Hierarchs of the Metropolitan Churches sui iuris, the Dioceses or the Eparchies, individually or together, must provide for institutions or offices that are easily accessible to the public for the submission of reports.  The reports are to be submitted to these ecclesial institutions and offices.

Art. 2 §2

The information referred to in this article is protected and treated in such a way as to guarantee its safety, integrity and confidentiality pursuant to canons 471, 2° CIC and 244 §2, 2° CCEO.

Art. 2 §3

Except as provided for by art. 3 §3, the Ordinary who received the report shall transmit it without delay to the Ordinary of the place where the events are said to have occurred, as well as to the Ordinary of the person reported.  Unless otherwise agreed upon by the two Ordinaries, it is the responsibility of the Ordinary of the place where the events are said to have occurred to proceed according to the law provided for the specific case.

Art. 3 §1 

Except for when a cleric learns of information during the exercise of ministry in the internal forum, whenever a cleric or a member of an Institute of Consecrated Life or of a Society of Apostolic Life learns, or has well-founded motives to believe, that one of the acts referred to in art. 1 has been committed, that person is obliged to report it promptly to the local Ordinary where the events are said to have occurred or to another Ordinary among those referred to in canons 134 CIC and 984 CCEO, except for what is established by §3 of the present article.

Art. 4 §3

An obligation to keep silent may not be imposed on the person claiming to have suffered as a result of a delict or on the witnesses with regard to the contents of their report, without prejudice to the provisions of article 5 §2.

Art. 15 [14] §1

The investigation is to be completed in short order and in accordance with the instructions listed in art. 11 §2.

Art. 20 [19]

These norms apply without prejudice to the rights and obligations established in each place by state laws, particularly those concerning any reporting obligations to the competent civil authorities.