Individuals who endured sexual abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced renewed hope after their first encounter with the new Pope at the Holy See.
Gemma Hickey, heading the anti-abuse organization, stated that the Pope's choice to engage with them so soon in his papacy spoke volumes about his commitment to addressing the problem.
Global Zero-Tolerance Approach Pushed
The group is pushing for a worldwide zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any priest who admits to or is proven of sexually abusing a minor. This approach has been implemented in the US.
The Pope acknowledged that there is "opposition in certain regions of the globe" to this proposal, according to the representative.
"Everyone was practical when we recognized that there is resistance," they stated.
Inherited Challenge
The current pontiff, who took the position in May, has taken on this longstanding issue that has haunted the Church for decades.
Previous efforts to resolve the problem included an historic summit on paedophilia within the institution and changes to church laws to clearly outlaw abuse.
Personal Link
For the representative, who prefers gender-neutral pronouns, the campaign for global implementation of the policy is personal. The Canadian advocate shared they were victimized by a clergy member who was subsequently transferred between various churches.
"We trust this will set the tone for his papacy, because we aim to work with him," Hickey stated. "We have the common objective, we want to eliminate abuse by religious officials."
Historic Encounter
Multiple members of the coalition, which includes survivors and supporters from over thirty countries, met with the Pontiff in his Vatican office.
The meeting, 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 "very understanding" when hearing the account of a woman victimized at a Catholic residential school for Indigenous children in North America.
Hickey added the leader was "compassionate" about their own story and appeared "very humble, 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," Hickey stated. "I felt like he was genuine, realistic, and receptive and keen to collaborate with us."
Church Regulations Changes
The organization is advocating that revisions to canon law will facilitate the adoption of the strict approach worldwide.
They have spoken with experts and compiled materials that they will submit to the pontiff.
"He seemed engaged in looking at it," Hickey remarked.
Accountability Emphasized
A recent church-ordered report emphasized the "importance of a streamlined protocol for the resignation and/or removal of religious officials or personnel in cases of abuse or failure to act."
The report also pointed out that victims repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for bishops and major superiors to be held accountable for negligence and cover-up."
Moving Forward
Hickey revealed they informed the pontiff at the beginning of their meeting: "This is as much a risk for him to engage in a dialogue as it was for us."
After the meeting, Hickey voiced optimism for future change.
"We realise it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the end of the day, uniting and building a connection and persisting to strengthen that relationship is a step in the right direction," they stated.
Hickey concluded that they shared with Pope Leo: "Just because it's a dark chapter, I believe like we can change how the story ends - he appreciated that."
