Individuals who experienced abuse by church officials have expressed fresh optimism following their initial meeting with the new Pope at the Vatican.
The board president, heading the anti-abuse organization, commented that the Pope's decision to engage with them so soon in his leadership sent a strong message about his commitment to tackling the issue.
Worldwide Zero-Tolerance Policy Advocated
The organization is pushing for a global zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any clergy member who admits to or is found guilty of abusing a child. This policy has already been adopted in the US.
The Pope recognized that there is "opposition in certain regions of the globe" to this proposal, according to the representative.
"Everyone was practical when we recognized that there is resistance," Hickey remarked.
Inherited Challenge
The current pontiff, who assumed the role in May, has taken on this persistent issue that has plagued the Catholic Church for many years.
Previous efforts to resolve the situation included an unprecedented summit on paedophilia within the Church and changes to church laws to clearly outlaw sexual abuse.
Personal Connection
For the representative, who prefers they/them pronouns, the campaign for global implementation of the policy is personal. The North American advocate revealed they were abused by a priest who was subsequently moved between various churches.
"We trust this will set the tone for his leadership, because we aim to work with him," Hickey stated. "We have the same goal, we want to eliminate clergy abuse."
Historic Encounter
Seven representatives of the organization, which represents victims and supporters from more than 30 nations, met with the Pontiff in his official residence.
The meeting, initially planned for 20 minutes, lasted to a sixty minutes, during which the Pope "primarily heard to us," according to the representative.
The Pope was characterized as "quite empathetic" when listening to the account of a female survivor abused at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in Canada.
They noted the leader was "tender" about their own story and seemed "modest, humorous, and approachable."
"Survivors have long wanted a seat at the table and I didn't feel like he was giving us lip service," Hickey stated. "I believed like he was genuine, realistic, and receptive and eager to collaborate with us."
Church Regulations Changes
The organization is hoping that changes to church regulations will facilitate the implementation of the strict approach globally.
They have spoken with experts and gathered materials that they will submit to Pope Leo.
"He seemed engaged in reviewing it," Hickey remarked.
Responsibility Emphasized
A recent Vatican-commissioned report emphasized the "necessity of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or removal of Church leaders or staff in cases of misconduct or failure to act."
The document also noted that victims repeatedly stressed the "urgent need for bishops and major superiors to be made responsible for inaction and cover-up."
Path Ahead
The representative shared they informed the Pope at the beginning 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 voiced optimism for future change.
"We realise it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the end of the day, uniting and building a relationship and persisting to strengthen that bond is a step in the right direction," Hickey stated.
Hickey concluded that they told with Pope Leo: "Even though it's a difficult period, I believe like we can change how the story concludes - he valued that."
