VATICAN CITY: Organisers of an upcoming Vatican summit on sex abuse prevention are warning that the credibility of the Catholic Church is in jeopardy over the abuse scandal and are urging participants to meet with victims personally before coming to Rome.

In a letter sent on Tuesday to the presidents of bishops’ conferences worldwide, organisers said the church must develop a “comprehensive and communal response” to the crisis, and that the first step is “acknowledging the truth of what has happened.” Pope Francis invited the church leaders to the Feb 21-24 summit to respond to what has become the gravest threat to his papacy, as the abuse and cover-up scandal erupted in the US, Chile and elsewhere this year.

In revealing the first details of the meeting, the Vatican said the summit would focus on three main areas: responsibility, accountability and transparency. That suggests that church leaders will confront not only the crime of priests who rape and molest minors, but the cover-up by their superiors as well.

Abuse survivors and their advocates have long blasted the Vatican for failing to discipline and remove bishops who fail to protect their flocks, and until recently Francis appeared unwilling to significantly change course.

“Absent a comprehensive and communal response, not only will we fail to bring healing to victim survivors, but the very credibility of the Church to carry on the mission of Christ will be in jeopardy throughout the world,” the organisers wrote their brother bishops.

“Each of us needs to own this challenge, coming together in solidarity, humility, and penitence to repair the damage done, sharing a common commitment to transparency, and holding everyone in the church accountable,” they said.

Published in Dawn, December 19th, 2018