People who endured abuse by Catholic clergy have expressed fresh optimism after their first meeting with the new Pope at the Holy See.
The board president, who leads the anti-abuse organization, commented that the Pope's choice to meet with them so early in his papacy spoke volumes about his commitment to tackling the issue.
Global Strict Policy Pushed
The organization is advocating for a global zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any priest who confesses to or is proven of sexually abusing a child. This approach has already been adopted in the US.
The Pope acknowledged that there is "opposition in certain regions of the globe" to this initiative, according to the representative.
"Everyone was practical when we acknowledged that there is resistance," they stated.
Inherited Challenge
The current pontiff, who took the position in May, has taken on this longstanding issue that has haunted the Church for many years.
Earlier attempts to resolve the situation included an unprecedented meeting on child abuse within the institution and changes to canon law to clearly outlaw sexual abuse.
Personal Link
For Hickey, who prefers they/them pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the measure is personal. The North American activist revealed they were abused by a priest who was subsequently transferred between various churches.
"Hopefully this will set the tone for his leadership, because we want to collaborate with him," Hickey expressed. "We have the common objective, we want to eliminate clergy abuse."
Significant Meeting
Multiple representatives of the organization, which represents victims and supporters from over thirty countries, engaged with the Pope in his Vatican office.
The discussion, initially planned for a brief period, extended to a full hour, during which the Pope "primarily heard to us," according to the representative.
The Pope was described as "quite empathetic" when hearing the story of a female survivor abused at a church-run institution for native youth in North America.
They added the Pope was "tender" about their personal story and appeared "very humble, humorous, and approachable."
"Victims have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't perceive like he was making empty promises," they commented. "I believed like he was genuine, practical, and receptive and eager to collaborate with us."
Canon Law Reforms
The group is hoping that changes to canon law will enable the adoption of the zero-tolerance policy globally.
They have consulted experts and compiled materials that they will submit to Pope Leo.
"He seemed interested in reviewing it," Hickey noted.
Responsibility Emphasized
A recent church-ordered report emphasized the "necessity of a streamlined protocol for the resignation and/or removal of religious officials or personnel in cases of abuse or failure to act."
The document also pointed out that victims repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for bishops and senior officials to be made responsible for negligence and cover-up."
Path Ahead
Hickey shared they told the pontiff at the start of their meeting: "This is as much a risk for him to participate in a conversation as it was for us."
Following the meeting, Hickey expressed hope for progress.
"We realise it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the conclusion, coming together and establishing a connection and continuing to build that bond is a step in the right direction," they commented.
Hickey concluded that they told with Pope Leo: "Even though it's a dark chapter, I believe like we can alter how the narrative ends - he appreciated that."
