Individuals who endured abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced renewed hope following their initial meeting with the new Pope at the Vatican.
The board president, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, commented that the pontiff's choice to engage with them so soon in his papacy spoke volumes about his dedication to addressing the problem.
Worldwide Strict Approach Advocated
The organization is pushing for a global strict approach that would defrock any priest who admits to or is found guilty of abusing a minor. This approach 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 acknowledged that there is resistance," Hickey stated.
Inherited Challenge
The current pontiff, who assumed the position in spring, has taken on this longstanding issue that has plagued the Church for decades.
Earlier attempts to address the situation included an unprecedented meeting on child abuse within the institution and revisions to church laws to clearly outlaw abuse.
Personal Connection
For Hickey, who prefers gender-neutral pronouns, the campaign for global implementation of the policy is deeply meaningful. The North American advocate shared they were victimized by a clergy member who was subsequently transferred between different parishes.
"Hopefully this will establish the direction for his leadership, because we want to collaborate with him," Hickey expressed. "We have the common objective, we seek to eliminate abuse by religious officials."
Significant Encounter
Seven members of the coalition, which represents survivors and advocates from over thirty nations, engaged with the Pope in his official residence.
The discussion, originally scheduled for a brief period, extended to a sixty minutes, during which the Pope "mostly listened to us," according to Hickey.
The pontiff was described as "very understanding" when hearing the account of a woman abused at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in Canada.
Hickey noted the Pope was "compassionate" about their personal experience and appeared "very humble, funny, and very down to earth."
"Survivors have consistently sought a seat at the table and I didn't perceive like he was making empty promises," they commented. "I believed like he was genuine, realistic, and very open and keen to collaborate with us."
Canon Law Reforms
The organization is hoping that changes to canon law will facilitate the adoption of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.
They have consulted experts and gathered documents that they plan to present to Pope Leo.
"He appeared interested in reviewing it," Hickey remarked.
Accountability Highlighted
A recently released Vatican-commissioned document emphasized the "importance of a efficient process for the stepping down and/or removal of Church leaders or staff in cases of abuse or failure to act."
The document also noted that victims repeatedly stressed the "urgent need for church leaders and major superiors to be made responsible for inaction and cover-up."
Path Ahead
Hickey shared they told the pontiff at the start of their discussion: "This represents as much a risk for him to participate in a dialogue as it was for us."
After the meeting, they expressed hope for future change.
"We understand it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the end of the day, uniting and establishing a relationship and continuing to strengthen that bond is a move in the correct path," they commented.
They concluded that they told with Pope Leo: "Even though it's a dark chapter, I feel like we can change how the story concludes - he appreciated that."
