Individuals who endured sexual abuse by church officials have voiced fresh optimism following their initial meeting with Pope Leo at the Holy See.
The board president, heading the anti-abuse organization, stated that the Pope's decision to meet with them so soon in his papacy sent a strong message about his commitment to tackling the issue.
Worldwide Strict Approach Pushed
The organization is pushing for a worldwide strict approach that would defrock any clergy member who confesses to or is proven of sexually abusing a minor. This approach has already been adopted in the US.
The Pontiff recognized that there is "resistance in some parts of the world" to this initiative, according to the representative.
"Everyone was practical when we recognized that there is pushback," they stated.
Inherited Issue
The new Pope, who assumed the position in spring, has inherited this persistent issue that has haunted the Church for many years.
Previous efforts to resolve the problem included an unprecedented meeting on paedophilia within the institution and revisions to canon law to explicitly criminalize abuse.
Deeply Felt Link
For Hickey, who uses they/them pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the policy is personal. The Canadian activist revealed they were victimized by a priest who was later transferred between different parishes.
"We trust this will establish the direction for his leadership, because we aim to work with him," they expressed. "Both sides share the same goal, we seek to end clergy abuse."
Historic Meeting
Seven members of the organization, which represents victims and supporters from over thirty nations, engaged with the Pope in his official residence.
The meeting, initially planned for 20 minutes, extended to a sixty minutes, during which the religious leader "primarily heard to us," according to the representative.
The pontiff was described as "very understanding" when hearing the account of a female survivor victimized at a church-run institution for native youth in Canada.
Hickey noted the Pope was "tender" about their own story and seemed "modest, funny, and very down to earth."
"Victims have long wanted a voice in discussions and I didn't perceive like he was making empty promises," they commented. "I felt like he was genuine, practical, and very open and eager to collaborate with us."
Canon Law Reforms
The organization is advocating that revisions to canon law will enable the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.
They have consulted experts and compiled materials that they will submit to Pope Leo.
"He appeared interested in looking at it," Hickey noted.
Accountability Highlighted
A recent church-ordered document emphasized the "importance of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or dismissal of Church leaders or staff in cases of abuse or failure to act."
The document also noted that survivors repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for church leaders and senior officials to be made responsible for negligence and concealment."
Moving Forward
Hickey revealed they informed the pontiff at the beginning of their meeting: "This is as much a challenge for him to engage in a dialogue as it was for us."
Following the encounter, Hickey expressed hope for progress.
"We realise it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the conclusion, coming together and building a connection and continuing to build that relationship is a move in the correct path," they stated.
They concluded that they shared with Pope Leo: "Just because it's a difficult period, I feel like we can alter how the story concludes - he valued that."
