People who experienced sexual abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced fresh optimism after their initial meeting with the new Pope at the Vatican.
The board president, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, commented that the pontiff's decision to engage with them so early in his leadership sent a strong message about his commitment to tackling the issue.
Global Zero-Tolerance Policy Pushed
The group is advocating for a global strict approach that would permanently remove any clergy member who confesses to or is found guilty of abusing a minor. This policy has already been adopted in the United States.
The Pontiff recognized that there is "resistance in some parts of the globe" to this proposal, according to the representative.
"We were all being realistic when we recognized that there is pushback," Hickey remarked.
Legacy Issue
The current pontiff, who took the position in May, has taken on this persistent issue that has plagued the Catholic Church for many years.
Earlier attempts to resolve the problem included an historic summit on paedophilia within the institution and changes to church laws to clearly outlaw abuse.
Deeply Felt Connection
For the representative, who prefers gender-neutral pronouns, the campaign for global implementation of the measure is personal. The Canadian advocate shared they were victimized by a priest who was later moved between various churches.
"Hopefully this will establish the direction for his leadership, because we aim to collaborate with him," they expressed. "Both sides share the same goal, we seek to end abuse by religious officials."
Historic Meeting
Multiple representatives of the coalition, which represents victims and supporters from over thirty countries, engaged with the Pontiff in his Vatican office.
The meeting, initially planned for a brief period, extended to a sixty minutes, during which the Pope "mostly listened to us," according to Hickey.
The Pope was characterized as "quite empathetic" when hearing the story of a woman victimized at a Catholic residential school for Indigenous children in Canada.
They noted the Pope was "compassionate" about their personal experience and seemed "modest, funny, and very down to earth."
"Survivors have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't feel like he was making empty promises," Hickey commented. "I felt like he was genuine, realistic, and receptive and keen to work with us."
Canon Law Changes
The organization is advocating that revisions to canon law will facilitate the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.
They have spoken with specialists and compiled documents that they will submit to Pope Leo.
"He seemed engaged in looking at it," they noted.
Accountability Highlighted
A recent Vatican-commissioned report highlighted the "necessity of a efficient process for the stepping down and/or removal of religious officials or personnel in cases of abuse or failure to act."
The document also noted that victims consistently emphasized the "urgent need for bishops and major superiors to be held accountable for inaction and cover-up."
Path Ahead
Hickey revealed they told the Pope at the start of their discussion: "This represents as much a challenge for him to participate in a conversation as it was for us."
After the encounter, they voiced hope for progress.
"We realise it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the end of the day, coming together and building a connection and continuing to build that bond is a move in the correct path," they stated.
Hickey concluded that they told with Pope Leo: "Even though it's a dark chapter, I believe like we can change how the story concludes - he valued that."
