People who endured abuse by Catholic clergy have expressed renewed hope following their first meeting with Pope Leo at the Holy See.
The board president, heading the anti-abuse organization, commented that the pontiff's choice to meet with them so early in his papacy spoke volumes about his dedication to addressing the issue.
Worldwide Zero-Tolerance Policy Advocated
The group is advocating for a global strict approach that would permanently remove any clergy member who confesses to or is proven of abusing a child. This policy has been implemented in the United States.
The Pope recognized that there is "resistance in some parts of the globe" to this proposal, according to the representative.
"We were all being realistic when we acknowledged that there is pushback," they remarked.
Legacy Challenge
The current pontiff, who took the role in May, has inherited this persistent issue that has haunted the Church for decades.
Previous efforts to address the situation included an historic meeting on paedophilia within the institution and revisions to canon law to clearly outlaw abuse.
Personal Link
For the representative, who prefers they/them pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the measure is personal. The North American activist revealed they were victimized by a clergy member who was subsequently transferred between different parishes.
"Hopefully this will establish the direction for his papacy, because we aim to collaborate with him," they expressed. "Both sides share the same goal, we seek to eliminate abuse by religious officials."
Significant Encounter
Seven members of the coalition, which includes victims and advocates from more than 30 nations, engaged with the Pope in his official residence.
The discussion, initially planned for a brief period, extended to a full hour, during which the Pope "mostly listened to us," according to Hickey.
The pontiff was described as "quite empathetic" when listening to the account of a woman victimized at a Catholic residential school for Indigenous children in North America.
They noted the leader was "compassionate" about their personal experience and seemed "very humble, humorous, and approachable."
"Victims have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't feel like he was giving us lip service," they stated. "I felt like he was sincere, realistic, and receptive and keen to collaborate with us."
Church Regulations Reforms
The group is advocating that revisions to canon law will enable the implementation of the strict approach worldwide.
They have consulted experts and compiled materials that they plan to submit to Pope Leo.
"He appeared engaged in reviewing it," they remarked.
Responsibility Emphasized
A recent Vatican-commissioned report highlighted the "importance of a streamlined protocol for the resignation and/or removal of religious officials or staff in cases of misconduct or failure to act."
The report also pointed out that victims repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for bishops and major superiors to be made responsible for negligence and cover-up."
Moving Forward
Hickey revealed they told the Pope at the start of their discussion: "This represents as much a challenge for him to engage in a dialogue as it was for us."
After the meeting, they expressed optimism for progress.
"We understand 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 relationship is a step in the correct path," Hickey stated.
They added that they shared with Pope Leo: "Just because it's a dark chapter, I believe like we can change how the narrative ends - he valued that."
