Individuals who endured abuse by church officials have voiced fresh optimism following their initial 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 soon in his papacy spoke volumes about his dedication to tackling the issue.
Worldwide Zero-Tolerance Policy Pushed
The organization is advocating for a global zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any clergy member who admits to or is proven of abusing a minor. This policy has already been adopted in the United States.
The Pope recognized that there is "resistance in some parts of the world" to this proposal, according to the representative.
"Everyone was practical when we acknowledged that there is resistance," Hickey stated.
Legacy Challenge
The new Pope, who took the position in May, has taken on this persistent problem that has haunted the Catholic Church for many years.
Previous efforts to resolve the situation included an historic summit on child abuse within the Church and changes to church laws to clearly outlaw sexual abuse.
Personal Connection
For the representative, who prefers gender-neutral pronouns, the campaign for global implementation of the measure is deeply meaningful. The North American activist shared they were victimized by a clergy member who was subsequently moved between different parishes.
"We trust this will set the tone for his leadership, because we aim to collaborate with him," they expressed. "We have the same goal, we want to end abuse by religious officials."
Significant Meeting
Multiple members of the organization, which represents survivors and supporters from more than 30 countries, met with the Pontiff in his Vatican office.
The discussion, originally scheduled for a brief period, lasted to a sixty minutes, during which the Pope "mostly listened to us," according to Hickey.
The Pope was characterized as "very understanding" when hearing the account of a woman abused at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in Canada.
They added the Pope was "tender" about their own story and seemed "modest, funny, and approachable."
"Victims have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't feel like he was making empty promises," Hickey stated. "I felt like he was sincere, practical, and receptive and keen to collaborate with us."
Canon Law Reforms
The group is advocating that changes to canon law will facilitate the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.
They have consulted experts and gathered documents that they will present to Pope Leo.
"He seemed engaged in looking at it," they noted.
Responsibility Highlighted
A recently released church-ordered report highlighted the "necessity of a efficient process for the stepping down and/or removal of Church leaders or staff in cases of misconduct or failure to act."
The report also pointed out that survivors consistently emphasized the "critical requirement for bishops and major superiors to be made responsible for negligence and cover-up."
Moving Forward
Hickey revealed they informed the Pope at the start of their meeting: "This is as much a challenge for him to participate in a conversation as it was for us."
Following the meeting, they voiced optimism for future change.
"We realise it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the conclusion, coming together and building a relationship and continuing to strengthen that bond is a move in the correct path," Hickey commented.
They concluded that they shared with the pontiff: "Just because it's a dark chapter, I feel like we can change how the story concludes - he valued that."
