Apostolic Constitution: Francis Calls a "Crime" What He Has Just "Permitted"
Francis issued the June 1 Apostolic Constitution Pascite Gregem Dei (Tend the Flock of God) which will enter into force on December 8 introducing changes to Canon Law concerning penalties and punishments.
For the first time, presumption of innocence is anchored in ecclesiastical penal law. Some new criminal offences are introduced such as
• economic crimes,
• sexual abuse of adults by priests who abuse their authority,
• “grooming” of minors or vulnerable adults to compel them to engage in pornography,
• the attempted ordination of women,
• "administering a sacrament to those who are prohibited from receiving it" - of which the classical example is - much to Francis' displeasure - giving Communion to remarried divorcees, abortion propagandists, and non-Catholics.
The Constitution states in a tortuous formulation that much damage has been caused by the [Council] Church’s failure "to perceive the relationship between the exercise of charity and the discipline of punishment." Francis …More
It'll be interesting to see what and how "economic crimes" are defined.
@Ultraviolet more likely, capitalism, making a profit, and refusing to belong to a union.
It probably refers to embezzlment and the use of funds for illicit investments (think Becciu, Rocketman, etc)
Francis has toughened penalties, extended them to lay people working in pastoral activities and limited the margin of tolerance of bishops and religious superiors, though changes to boom 6 of t the Code of Canon Law.