Individuals who endured sexual abuse by church officials have voiced renewed hope following their initial meeting with Pope Leo at the Vatican.
The board president, heading the anti-abuse organization, stated that the pontiff's decision to meet with them so soon in his leadership sent a strong message about his commitment to tackling the issue.
Global Strict Approach Advocated
The group is advocating for a worldwide strict approach that would defrock any clergy member who confesses to or is found guilty of sexually abusing a child. This policy has already been adopted in the US.
The Pope acknowledged that there is "resistance in some parts of the world" to this proposal, according to the representative.
"Everyone was practical when we recognized that there is pushback," they remarked.
Inherited Issue
The new Pope, who took the position in spring, has inherited this longstanding issue that has plagued the Catholic Church for decades.
Earlier attempts to address the problem included an unprecedented meeting on child abuse within the institution and changes to canon law to explicitly criminalize sexual abuse.
Personal Connection
For the representative, who prefers gender-neutral pronouns, the campaign for worldwide adoption of the measure is personal. The Canadian activist shared they were victimized by a priest who was subsequently moved between various churches.
"Hopefully this will set the tone for his leadership, because we want to work with him," they stated. "Both sides share the same goal, we want to eliminate clergy abuse."
Historic Encounter
Seven members of the organization, which includes survivors and advocates from over thirty nations, engaged with the Pope in his Vatican office.
The discussion, originally scheduled for 20 minutes, lasted to a full hour, during which the religious leader "primarily heard to us," according to the representative.
The Pope was characterized as "quite empathetic" when listening to the story of a female survivor victimized at a church-run institution for native youth in North America.
Hickey added the leader was "compassionate" about their personal story and seemed "modest, funny, and very down to earth."
"Survivors have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't feel like he was making empty promises," Hickey 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 changes to canon law will facilitate the adoption of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.
They have consulted experts and gathered materials that they will submit to the pontiff.
"He seemed interested in looking at it," they noted.
Accountability Emphasized
A recent Vatican-commissioned report emphasized the "importance of a streamlined protocol for the resignation and/or dismissal of Church leaders or personnel in cases of abuse or negligence."
The document also noted that survivors repeatedly stressed the "urgent need for bishops and major superiors to be made responsible for inaction and cover-up."
Path Ahead
Hickey shared they informed the pontiff at the beginning of their meeting: "This is as much a challenge for him to engage in a dialogue as it was for us."
Following the meeting, Hickey voiced optimism for progress.
"We understand it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the end of the day, coming together and establishing a relationship and persisting to build that bond is a step in the right direction," Hickey commented.
They added that they shared with the pontiff: "Just because it's a dark chapter, I feel like we can change how the narrative ends - he appreciated that."
