People who endured sexual abuse by Catholic clergy have expressed fresh optimism after their initial encounter with Pope Leo at the Vatican.
The board president, who leads the anti-abuse organization, commented that the pontiff's decision to engage with them so soon in his papacy sent a strong message about his dedication to tackling the issue.
Global Zero-Tolerance Policy Pushed
The group is pushing for a worldwide zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any priest who admits to or is found guilty of abusing a minor. This policy has been implemented in the US.
The Pontiff recognized that there is "opposition in certain regions of the world" to this initiative, according to the representative.
"We were all being realistic when we acknowledged that there is resistance," Hickey remarked.
Inherited Challenge
The new Pope, who took the position in May, has taken on this persistent problem that has plagued the Church for many years.
Previous efforts to resolve the problem included an historic summit on child abuse within the institution and changes to canon law to explicitly criminalize sexual abuse.
Deeply Felt Link
For the representative, who uses they/them pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the measure is personal. The Canadian activist shared they were abused by a priest who was subsequently moved between different parishes.
"We trust this will establish the direction for his leadership, because we want to collaborate with him," they expressed. "We have the same goal, we seek to end abuse by religious officials."
Historic Encounter
Seven representatives of the coalition, which includes victims and advocates from over thirty nations, engaged with the Pope in his Vatican office.
The discussion, originally scheduled for 20 minutes, lasted to a full hour, during which the Pope "mostly listened to us," according to the representative.
The pontiff was described as "quite empathetic" when listening to the account of a woman victimized at a church-run institution for native youth in Canada.
They added the Pope was "compassionate" about their own experience and seemed "very humble, humorous, and very down to earth."
"Victims have long wanted a voice in discussions and I didn't perceive like he was making empty promises," Hickey stated. "I believed like he was genuine, practical, and receptive and eager to work with us."
Church Regulations Reforms
The organization is hoping that revisions to canon law will facilitate the adoption of the strict approach globally.
They have spoken with experts and gathered documents that they will submit to Pope Leo.
"He seemed engaged in reviewing it," they noted.
Accountability Emphasized
A recent church-ordered document highlighted the "necessity of a streamlined protocol for the resignation and/or dismissal of Church leaders or staff in cases of abuse or failure to act."
The report also pointed out that victims consistently emphasized the "urgent need for church leaders and major superiors to be held accountable for negligence and concealment."
Path Ahead
Hickey shared they told the Pope at the start of their discussion: "This is as much a challenge for him to participate in a dialogue as it was for us."
After the encounter, 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 persisting to build that relationship is a step in the right direction," they commented.
They concluded that they told with Pope Leo: "Even though it's a difficult period, I believe like we can alter how the narrative ends - he valued that."
