Individuals who endured sexual abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced renewed hope following their first encounter with the new Pope at the Vatican.
Gemma Hickey, who leads Ending Clergy Abuse, commented that the Pope's decision to meet with them so soon in his leadership spoke volumes about his dedication to addressing the problem.
Worldwide Strict Approach Pushed
The group is advocating for a global zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any priest who confesses to or is proven of abusing a child. This policy has already been adopted in the US.
The Pontiff recognized that there is "resistance in some parts of the globe" to this initiative, according to Hickey.
"Everyone was practical when we acknowledged that there is resistance," Hickey remarked.
Inherited Issue
The current pontiff, who took the role in May, has inherited this persistent issue that has haunted the Catholic Church for decades.
Earlier attempts to address the situation included an unprecedented summit on paedophilia within the institution and revisions to church laws to explicitly criminalize abuse.
Personal Connection
For the representative, who prefers gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for worldwide adoption of the measure is deeply meaningful. The Canadian activist shared they were abused by a priest who was later moved between various churches.
"We trust this will set the tone for his papacy, because we aim to work with him," Hickey expressed. "Both sides share the common objective, we seek to eliminate abuse by religious officials."
Historic Meeting
Seven representatives of the coalition, which includes survivors and supporters from over thirty countries, engaged with the Pope in his Vatican office.
The meeting, initially planned for a brief period, lasted to a sixty minutes, during which the Pope "mostly listened to us," according to Hickey.
The Pope was described as "quite empathetic" when hearing the account of a woman victimized at a Catholic residential school for Indigenous children in Canada.
They added the Pope was "tender" about their personal story and seemed "modest, humorous, and approachable."
"Victims have long wanted a voice in discussions and I didn't feel like he was making empty promises," Hickey stated. "I believed like he was sincere, realistic, and very open and eager to work with us."
Canon Law Changes
The organization is advocating that changes to canon law will enable the implementation of the strict approach worldwide.
They have spoken with specialists and compiled documents that they plan to present to Pope Leo.
"He appeared engaged in reviewing it," they noted.
Accountability Highlighted
A recent church-ordered document emphasized the "necessity of a efficient process for the resignation and/or removal of religious officials or staff in cases of misconduct or negligence."
The report also pointed out that survivors repeatedly stressed the "urgent need for bishops and senior officials to be held accountable for inaction and cover-up."
Path Ahead
The representative shared they told the Pope at the start of their discussion: "This is as much a challenge for him to engage in a dialogue as it was for us."
After the meeting, Hickey voiced hope for future change.
"We realise it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the end of the day, coming together and building a connection and persisting to build that relationship is a step in the right direction," they stated.
They concluded that they told with the pontiff: "Even though it's a dark chapter, I believe like we can alter how the story concludes - he appreciated that."
