While taking issue with the ill-conceived national inquiry into child abuse, your leader (“A disaster in theory and in execution”, 22 October) itself betrays a dangerous misperception in asking: “What more can be added to what is already known about sex abuse by Catholic priests; what else can the Church be urged to do that it has not already done?”

The Catholic community has made great strides in tackling issues such as the screening of candidates for priesthood and religious life, the safeguarding of the vulnerable, the handling of allegations, and engagement with survivors. All of this has been essential and welcome but it leaves the most challenging lessons to be learned utterly unaddressed.