Individuals who endured abuse by Catholic clergy have expressed renewed hope following their first encounter with the new Pope at the Vatican.
The board president, who leads the anti-abuse organization, stated that the pontiff's decision to engage with them so early in his papacy sent a strong message about his commitment to addressing the issue.
Global 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 minor. This policy has already been adopted in the US.
The Pontiff acknowledged that there is "resistance in some parts of the globe" to this proposal, according to the representative.
"Everyone was practical when we recognized that there is resistance," they remarked.
Inherited Issue
The current pontiff, who took the role in spring, has inherited this longstanding problem that has haunted the Catholic Church for many years.
Earlier attempts to address the problem included an unprecedented meeting on paedophilia within the institution and revisions to canon law to explicitly criminalize sexual abuse.
Personal Connection
For the representative, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for worldwide adoption of the policy is personal. The Canadian advocate revealed they were victimized by a clergy member who was later moved between various churches.
"We trust this will set the tone for his leadership, because we want to collaborate with him," Hickey stated. "We have the common objective, we want to end clergy abuse."
Historic Encounter
Seven representatives of the organization, which includes survivors and advocates from more than 30 countries, engaged with the Pontiff in his official residence.
The discussion, originally scheduled for a brief period, lasted to a full hour, during which the Pope "mostly listened to us," according to the representative.
The pontiff was described as "quite empathetic" when hearing the story of a female survivor victimized at a Catholic residential school for Indigenous children in North America.
They noted the leader was "compassionate" about their own experience and seemed "modest, funny, and very down to earth."
"Survivors have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't perceive like he was making empty promises," they commented. "I believed like he was genuine, practical, and very open and eager to work with us."
Church Regulations Reforms
The organization is advocating that revisions to church regulations will enable the implementation of the strict approach worldwide.
They have consulted experts and gathered documents that they plan to present to Pope Leo.
"He seemed interested in reviewing it," Hickey noted.
Responsibility Emphasized
A recently released church-ordered document emphasized the "importance of a efficient process for the stepping down and/or removal of religious officials or personnel in cases of misconduct or failure to act."
The document also noted that victims repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for bishops and senior officials to be made responsible for inaction and cover-up."
Path Ahead
The representative shared they told the Pope at the beginning of their discussion: "This is as much a challenge for him to engage in a conversation as it was for us."
After the encounter, they expressed optimism for progress.
"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 continuing to build that bond is a step in the right direction," Hickey stated.
Hickey added that they told with the pontiff: "Just because it's a difficult period, I believe like we can alter how the story concludes - he appreciated that."
