People who experienced abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced fresh optimism following their initial encounter with Pope Leo at the Vatican.
The board president, who leads Ending Clergy Abuse, stated that the pontiff's decision to engage with them so soon in his papacy sent a strong message about his dedication to tackling the issue.
Worldwide Strict Approach Advocated
The group is pushing for a worldwide zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any priest who admits to or is proven of sexually abusing a minor. This policy has been implemented in the United States.
The Pontiff acknowledged that there is "opposition in certain regions of the globe" to this initiative, according to the representative.
"We were all being realistic when we recognized that there is resistance," Hickey remarked.
Inherited Issue
The new Pope, who took the position in May, has inherited this persistent issue that has plagued the Church for many years.
Earlier attempts to resolve the problem included an historic summit on paedophilia within the institution and revisions to canon law to explicitly criminalize sexual abuse.
Deeply Felt Connection
For Hickey, who prefers they/them pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the policy is personal. The Canadian activist shared they were abused by a clergy member who was subsequently transferred between various churches.
"Hopefully this will establish the direction for his leadership, because we want to work with him," Hickey stated. "Both sides share the common objective, we seek to end clergy abuse."
Significant Encounter
Multiple members of the organization, which includes survivors and advocates from more than 30 nations, engaged with the Pope in his Vatican office.
The meeting, originally scheduled for a brief period, extended to a full hour, during which the Pope "mostly listened to us," according to the representative.
The pontiff was described as "quite empathetic" when listening to the story of a female survivor victimized at a church-run institution for native youth in Canada.
They added the leader was "compassionate" about their personal experience and seemed "modest, humorous, and approachable."
"Survivors have consistently sought a seat at the table and I didn't perceive like he was making empty promises," they commented. "I felt like he was sincere, realistic, and receptive and eager to collaborate with us."
Canon Law Changes
The group is hoping that revisions to church regulations will enable the adoption of the strict approach globally.
They have consulted experts and compiled materials that they will present to Pope Leo.
"He seemed engaged in looking at it," Hickey remarked.
Responsibility Highlighted
A recent church-ordered document emphasized the "necessity of a streamlined protocol for the resignation and/or dismissal of religious officials or staff in cases of misconduct or negligence."
The document also noted that survivors consistently emphasized the "critical requirement for church leaders and major superiors to be made responsible for negligence and cover-up."
Moving Forward
The representative shared they told the Pope at the beginning of their meeting: "This represents as much a challenge for him to engage in a conversation as it was for us."
Following the encounter, they expressed hope for progress.
"We realise it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the conclusion, coming together and establishing a relationship and persisting to strengthen that bond is a move in the right direction," Hickey stated.
Hickey added that they shared with the pontiff: "Even though it's a dark chapter, I feel like we can alter how the story ends - he appreciated that."
