Smoking gun or not? This document reveals the secret medieval procedures dictated by the Holy Office, that is, the curial department once known as the Inquisition, issued during the reign of Pope John XXIII before the start of the Second Vatican Council, to deal with priests accused of making sexual advances in the course of hearing confessions and other "worst crimes" including bestiality and sex with minors.
This shows that the Church considered itself above secular law even well into modern times. In order to keep these cases secret, excommunication could be invoked on victims, witnesses, participants and the accused.
At last, there may be an explanation of why bishops have so consistently lied — they were just obeying orders from Rome, under penalty of eternal damnation. Or at least that's one interpretation.
Another view comes from a man who should know, renowned canonist and victim advocate, Fr. Tom Doyle. He has written several pieces explaining the nature and content of the document, which are linked below. Other important documents by Fr. Doyle may be found here.
NOTE: Originally in Latin, this typescript translation of Crimen Sollicitationis may be somewhat difficult to read. Note that the use of underlines replaces the italics of the original. Page numbers are included in the text where the original page breaks were located. Text in brackets and parentheses seems to have been included to make the translation more understandable.
An analysis of what it means and how it has affected me as a survivor of clergy abuse, can be found here.
The above is his original statement, published shortly after the document became known. In 2006, Fr. Doyle completely revised and expanded his 2003 statement, adding important new historical and contextual background:
Recently, Fr. Doyle yet again revised and expanded his comments. Now he admits that the Inquisition (currently known as the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith or CDF) has been running the coverup all along, just as I have been claiming: