Now the Vatican should borrow that template and launch a similar movement of truth and reconciliation that, in a spirit of remorse and compassion, creates an authentic international forum for abuse victims.

The current crisis embroiling the Church makes it clear that it is near impossible to forge a better future without fully confronting the awful past. That’s what the Truth and Reconciliation hearings showed Canadians. It’s a lesson Canada’s bishops should share with their world brethren.

In his open letter to Pope Francis reported last week in The Register, abuse victim John Swales urged the Pope to direct priests and bishops to “go straight to the source of the pain.” He wants Church leaders to listen to testimonies of abuse victims, something Swales says he was denied.

“Listen silently to the devastating stories of survivors and families,” he wrote. “Believe them. Accept when forgiveness is not possible. Ask what would be meaningful to (help victims) heal. Respond with generosity and largesse.”

In Pennsylvania, the truth-telling came in grand jury rooms. Victim files from parishes described more than a thousand cases of abuse since the 1940s, and revealed several instances when bishops looked away. Since then, six other states have launched investigations and more are expected.

Rather than waiting to respond to each new civil inquiry, the Church should show leadership and fully own up to its history. Replace decades of deception with an era of truth. Unlock archival files and seek out and listen to victims. Yes, it would be emotionally painful and a logistical nightmare. Still, Church leaders should help victims come face to face with the institution which betrayed them. 

Let them speak and, like the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, publish the findings.

Pope Francis has summoned the head of every Catholic bishops’ conference in the world — more than 100 national leaders — to Rome next February for a summit on the protection of minors. It’s a three-day meeting that should be more-than doubled in length, with the extra days devoted solely to listening to victim abuse stories.

Then the national leaders should be given marching orders to instruct every local bishop to convene days of listening in their dioceses. Even though few bishops have been involved in abuse or its coverup, no bishop should be exempt from hearing victim testimonies. The exercise is not about them as much as it is about allowing victims to address the institution that violated and abandoned them. 

The Church needs to humble itself and become a sincere listener so it can speak with conviction about remorse for the past and hope for the future.