Individuals who experienced abuse by church officials have voiced renewed hope after their initial encounter with Pope Leo at the Holy See.
The board president, heading the anti-abuse organization, commented that the Pope's choice to meet with them so early in his papacy sent a strong message about his dedication to addressing the issue.
Global Zero-Tolerance Approach Advocated
The group is advocating for a global strict approach that would defrock any priest who admits to or is proven of sexually abusing a minor. This policy has been implemented in the US.
The Pontiff recognized that there is "resistance in certain regions of the world" to this proposal, according to Hickey.
"Everyone was practical when we acknowledged that there is pushback," they stated.
Inherited Issue
The current pontiff, who assumed the position in spring, has inherited this longstanding problem that has plagued the Catholic Church for many years.
Earlier attempts to resolve the situation included an historic meeting on paedophilia within the institution and revisions to canon law to clearly outlaw abuse.
Personal Connection
For the representative, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, the campaign for global implementation of the measure is personal. The Canadian activist revealed they were abused by a priest who was later transferred between different parishes.
"Hopefully this will set the tone for his leadership, because we want to collaborate with him," Hickey stated. "Both sides share the same goal, we seek to end clergy abuse."
Significant Encounter
Multiple members of the coalition, which represents victims and supporters from over thirty countries, met with the Pope in his Vatican office.
The discussion, originally scheduled for 20 minutes, extended to a full hour, during which the Pope "primarily heard to us," according to Hickey.
The pontiff was described as "quite empathetic" when listening to the account of a female survivor abused at a Catholic residential school for Indigenous children in North America.
Hickey noted the Pope was "tender" about their personal experience and seemed "modest, humorous, and approachable."
"Victims have long wanted a voice in discussions and I didn't feel like he was giving us lip service," Hickey stated. "I believed like he was sincere, practical, and receptive and keen to collaborate with us."
Church Regulations Changes
The organization is advocating that revisions to canon law will enable the adoption of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.
They have spoken with specialists and compiled materials that they plan to present to Pope Leo.
"He appeared interested in reviewing it," they noted.
Responsibility Emphasized
A recent church-ordered report highlighted the "importance of a efficient process for the stepping down and/or dismissal of Church leaders or staff in cases of abuse or negligence."
The report also pointed out that survivors repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for bishops and major superiors to be held accountable for inaction and cover-up."
Moving Forward
The representative revealed they informed the pontiff at the beginning of their meeting: "This is as much a challenge for him to participate in a conversation as it was for us."
Following the encounter, they voiced hope for future change.
"We understand it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the conclusion, coming together and building a connection and continuing to build that relationship is a move in the correct path," they stated.
They added that they told with Pope Leo: "Even though it's a difficult period, I believe like we can change how the story ends - he valued that."
