BOB ABERNETHY, anchor: Every few years, instead of their regular spring business meeting, the bishops plan these special assemblies to give themselves an extended time of prayer and reflection. This year, the gathering comes amid new questions about the bishops' long-term commitment to the policies they adopted to prevent sex abuse. Kim Lawton reports.

KIM LAWTON: It was supposed to be a time for the U.S. Bishops to pray and reflect about the spiritual challenges for the Church in the wake of the sex abuse crisis. Now, at their private session, they'll also be discussing some of the reforms they enacted to address that crisis.

Many lay activists and victims' rights groups are worried about a pullback.

BARBARA BLAINE (President, Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests): Our concern basically is that the bishops committed themselves to a new era of transparency and openness. And yet, what we see happening all across the country is constant backsliding, efforts to keep things hidden and secret.

LAWTON: It was at their spring meeting two years ago, amid charges of inaction and cover-ups, that the bishops adopted the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. Among other reforms, the charter called for the establishment of a national lay review board and an annual public report on how the dioceses are implementing the reform policies.

The first audit was released earlier this year. It found that almost 90 percent of the dioceses were complying with the charter. But now, a number of bishops are urging that the next round of audits be delayed so the entire process can be reevaluated.

That idea has frustrated members of the National Review Board.

Justice ANNE BURKE (Interim Chair, National Review Board): I don't know how widespread that skepticism is among the bishops, but it causes us for some alarm, yes.

LAWTON: New York's Cardinal Edward Egan was one of the first to suggest the delay. In a February 2 letter, he said he and other New York bishops were "not in favor of extending these efforts until after the matter has been discussed by all of the bishops ... at their general meeting in November." Bishops from other dioceses agreed.

Justice Anne Burke and the National Review Board didn't find out about the objections until two months later. She fired off a letter telling the bishops she and the board felt "manipulated."

Justice BURKE: We need to determine whether or not, on a national level, the dioceses are really putting in safe environment programs, whether they're still putting in lay review boards, whether they're ministering to the priest and to the victim who has been accused, and to reach out to victims in their time of need -- to make sure that's being done, and the only way to do that is through an audit process.