Individuals who experienced abuse by church officials have voiced fresh optimism after their first encounter with Pope Leo at the Holy See.
The board president, who leads Ending Clergy Abuse, stated that the Pope's choice to engage with them so early in his papacy sent a strong message about his dedication to addressing the problem.
Global Strict Policy Advocated
The group is advocating for a global zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any priest who admits to or is found guilty of sexually abusing a child. This policy has been implemented in the US.
The Pope recognized that there is "opposition in certain regions of the globe" to this initiative, according to the representative.
"Everyone was practical when we recognized that there is pushback," Hickey stated.
Legacy Issue
The new Pope, who took the position in spring, has inherited this longstanding problem that has plagued the Catholic Church for decades.
Earlier attempts to resolve the situation included an unprecedented meeting on child abuse within the Church and revisions to canon law to explicitly criminalize abuse.
Deeply Felt Connection
For Hickey, who prefers they/them pronouns, the campaign for worldwide adoption of the policy is personal. The North American advocate shared they were victimized by a clergy member who was subsequently transferred between different parishes.
"We trust this will establish the direction for his leadership, because we want to collaborate with him," they stated. "Both sides share the common objective, we want to eliminate clergy abuse."
Historic Encounter
Multiple representatives of the coalition, which includes survivors and supporters from over thirty countries, engaged with the Pope in his official residence.
The meeting, originally scheduled for 20 minutes, lasted to a sixty minutes, during which the Pope "primarily heard to us," according to the representative.
The pontiff was described as "very understanding" when listening to the account of a woman victimized at a church-run institution for native youth in North America.
They noted the leader was "tender" about their personal story and seemed "modest, 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 sincere, practical, and receptive and eager to collaborate with us."
Church Regulations Changes
The organization is hoping that revisions to canon law will enable the implementation of the strict approach worldwide.
They have consulted specialists and compiled documents that they will submit to the pontiff.
"He seemed interested in reviewing it," they noted.
Responsibility Highlighted
A recent church-ordered document highlighted the "importance of a efficient process for the resignation and/or dismissal of religious officials or staff in cases of misconduct or negligence."
The report also noted that victims repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for church leaders and senior officials to be held accountable for inaction and concealment."
Path Ahead
The representative shared they informed the pontiff at the beginning of their discussion: "This is as much a risk for him to engage in a dialogue as it was for us."
After the meeting, they expressed optimism for future change.
"We realise it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the conclusion, coming together and establishing a connection and continuing to build that bond is a step in the right direction," they commented.
Hickey added that they told with Pope Leo: "Just because it's a difficult period, I believe like we can alter how the story ends - he appreciated that."
