People who endured sexual abuse by church officials have voiced renewed hope following their initial meeting with the new Pope at the Holy See.
The board president, who leads the anti-abuse organization, commented that the pontiff's decision to meet with them so soon in his papacy spoke volumes about his dedication to addressing the problem.
Global Strict Approach 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 approach has been implemented in the United States.
The Pope acknowledged that there is "opposition in some parts of the globe" to this initiative, according to the representative.
"We were all being realistic when we acknowledged that there is pushback," Hickey remarked.
Legacy Issue
The current pontiff, who took the position in spring, has taken on this persistent problem that has haunted the Catholic Church for many years.
Previous efforts to resolve the problem included an historic meeting on paedophilia within the Church and changes to canon law to explicitly criminalize abuse.
Deeply Felt Connection
For Hickey, who prefers gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the measure is personal. The North American activist shared they were abused by a priest who was subsequently transferred between different parishes.
"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 eliminate clergy abuse."
Historic Meeting
Seven members of the organization, which includes survivors and supporters from over thirty countries, engaged with the Pope in his official residence.
The meeting, originally scheduled for a brief period, lasted to a full hour, during which the Pope "primarily heard to us," according to Hickey.
The pontiff was described as "very understanding" when listening to the account of a woman victimized at a church-run institution for native youth in Canada.
They added the leader was "compassionate" about their personal experience and appeared "very humble, humorous, and very down to earth."
"Survivors have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't perceive like he was giving us lip service," they stated. "I felt like he was genuine, realistic, and receptive and keen to collaborate with us."
Canon Law Changes
The group is hoping that revisions to canon law will enable the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy globally.
They have consulted specialists and compiled materials that they will present to Pope Leo.
"He seemed engaged in reviewing it," they remarked.
Responsibility Highlighted
A recently released Vatican-commissioned report emphasized the "importance of a efficient process for the stepping down and/or dismissal of religious officials or staff in cases of misconduct or negligence."
The report also pointed out that survivors repeatedly stressed the "urgent need for church leaders and major superiors to be held accountable for inaction and cover-up."
Path Ahead
The representative revealed they told the Pope at the start of their meeting: "This is as much a risk for him to engage in a dialogue as it was for us."
Following the encounter, they expressed hope for future change.
"We understand it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the conclusion, coming together and establishing a relationship and continuing to build that relationship is a step in the right direction," Hickey commented.
They concluded that they shared with the pontiff: "Even though it's a dark chapter, I feel like we can change how the narrative ends - he appreciated that."
