The light of disclosure finally has shone into the dismal case of a priest who, almost 30 years after the fact (and before he was ordained), admits to the sexual abuse of a teenage boy.

The Fathers of the Sacred Heart, which is an institution within the Catholic Church in Hawai'i, has settled with the victim, Eugene Saulibio, thus avoiding a civil trial.

And although that settlement on balance brings some salve into one scarred life, the greater concern for Catholics is whether to expect greater openness from their church from now on.

There is solace in that the Rev. Joseph Bukoski admitted his actions and apologized to Saulibio, and he has been barred from public ministry and any work with children.

Just as important: The religious order also has apologized, to the Saulibio family, to the Maui parish where Bukoski served and "to all Catholics for not stepping in earlier and putting a stop to this."

Saulibio himself says that the admission of wrongdoing and the knowledge that other youths won't endure what he experienced have given him his primary satisfaction. Of lesser concern, he said, is the money, either the $50 Bukoski will pay monthly for 10 years or the undisclosed sum that the order will pay.

Sacred Heart officials say the money will come partly from insurance and partly from the fathers' retirement fund, but they have insisted as a condition of the settlement that the amount remains confidential. In prior cases, the diocese of Honolulu had taken the same cautious stance.

They did so on the advice of attorneys who were concerned that announcing the sum might serve as a precedent for any future claimants who could step forward. And they are not compelled to release the information.

But the church here needs to consider, wherever possible, shedding the traditional secrecy that has cloaked its conduct. In Boston and other communities, Catholic officials are adopting policies that encourage greater openness, a trend that is heartening.

The practices of the past, including the penchant for cover-ups, are unacceptable, especially at a time when the church has to rebuild trust. Its silence can compound the wounds to the victims, leads — fairly or unfairly — to distrust and conveys a hurtful message to the faithful.