People who endured sexual abuse by church officials have voiced fresh optimism after their initial meeting with Pope Leo at the Vatican.
The board president, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, commented that the Pope's decision to engage with them so early in his papacy sent a strong message about his commitment to tackling the issue.
Worldwide Strict Approach Pushed
The organization is advocating for a worldwide zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any clergy member who admits to or is proven of abusing a child. This approach has been implemented in the US.
The Pope acknowledged that there is "resistance in some parts of the world" to this proposal, according to the representative.
"We were all being realistic when we acknowledged that there is pushback," Hickey remarked.
Inherited Issue
The current pontiff, who assumed the position in spring, has inherited this persistent issue that has haunted the Catholic Church for decades.
Previous efforts to address the situation included an historic summit on paedophilia within the institution and revisions to canon law to explicitly criminalize abuse.
Deeply Felt Connection
For the representative, who prefers gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the measure is personal. The Canadian activist revealed they were victimized by a clergy member who was later transferred between different parishes.
"We trust this will establish the direction for his leadership, because we aim to work with him," Hickey stated. "We have the same goal, we want to end clergy abuse."
Significant Encounter
Seven members of the coalition, which represents survivors and supporters from more than 30 nations, met with the Pope in his Vatican office.
The discussion, initially planned for a brief period, extended to a full hour, during which the religious leader "primarily heard to us," according to the representative.
The pontiff was characterized as "quite empathetic" when hearing the story of a woman victimized at a Catholic residential school for native youth in North America.
They noted the Pope was "tender" about their personal story and seemed "modest, humorous, and very down to earth."
"Survivors have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't perceive like he was making empty promises," Hickey stated. "I felt like he was sincere, realistic, and very open and eager to work with us."
Church Regulations Reforms
The group is advocating that changes to canon law will enable the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.
They have consulted specialists and compiled documents that they plan to submit to the pontiff.
"He appeared engaged in looking at it," Hickey noted.
Accountability Emphasized
A recently released Vatican-commissioned report highlighted the "necessity of a efficient process for the stepping down and/or removal of religious officials or staff in cases of abuse or failure to act."
The document also noted that survivors repeatedly stressed the "urgent need for church leaders and senior officials to be made responsible for negligence and concealment."
Path Ahead
Hickey revealed they informed the pontiff at the beginning of their discussion: "This is as much a risk for him to participate in a dialogue as it was for us."
After the meeting, they voiced hope for progress.
"We understand it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the end of the day, uniting and building a connection and persisting to strengthen that bond is a step in the correct path," Hickey commented.
Hickey added that they told with Pope Leo: "Just because it's a dark chapter, I believe like we can change how the narrative ends - he appreciated that."
