People who experienced sexual abuse by church officials have expressed fresh optimism following their initial encounter with Pope Leo at the Holy See.
The board president, heading the anti-abuse organization, commented that the pontiff's choice to engage with them so early in his leadership sent a strong message about his dedication to addressing the problem.
Worldwide Strict Approach Pushed
The organization is pushing for a global zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any clergy member who confesses to or is found guilty of abusing a child. This approach has been implemented in the US.
The Pope recognized that there is "resistance in certain regions of the world" to this proposal, according to the representative.
"Everyone was practical when we acknowledged that there is resistance," they remarked.
Legacy Issue
The new Pope, who assumed the position in spring, has inherited this persistent problem that has plagued the Church for decades.
Earlier attempts to resolve the situation included an unprecedented summit on paedophilia within the Church and revisions to canon law to explicitly criminalize abuse.
Deeply Felt Connection
For the representative, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the policy is deeply meaningful. The North American advocate revealed they were victimized by a priest who was subsequently transferred between different parishes.
"We trust this will establish the direction for his leadership, because we aim to collaborate with him," Hickey expressed. "We have the common objective, we seek to end abuse by religious officials."
Historic Encounter
Multiple members of the organization, which represents survivors and advocates from more than 30 nations, engaged with the Pope in his official residence.
The discussion, originally scheduled for a brief period, extended to a sixty minutes, during which the Pope "mostly listened to us," according to Hickey.
The pontiff was described as "quite empathetic" when listening to the story of a woman abused at a Catholic residential school for Indigenous children in North America.
They noted the leader was "tender" about their personal experience and appeared "very humble, funny, and very down to earth."
"Victims have long wanted a voice in discussions and I didn't perceive like he was making empty promises," Hickey stated. "I felt like he was sincere, practical, and receptive and eager to work with us."
Canon Law Changes
The group is advocating that changes to canon law will enable the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.
They have consulted specialists and compiled documents that they will present to Pope Leo.
"He appeared engaged in looking at it," Hickey remarked.
Responsibility Emphasized
A recent Vatican-commissioned report highlighted the "necessity of a efficient process for the stepping down and/or dismissal of Church leaders or personnel in cases of misconduct or negligence."
The report also noted that victims repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for church leaders and senior officials to be held accountable for inaction and cover-up."
Moving Forward
Hickey shared they informed the Pope at the beginning of their discussion: "This represents as much a risk for him to engage in a conversation as it was for us."
After the meeting, they expressed hope for progress.
"We understand it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the conclusion, coming together and building a connection and persisting to strengthen that relationship is a step in the right direction," Hickey commented.
Hickey concluded that they shared with Pope Leo: "Just because it's a difficult period, I feel like we can change how the story ends - he valued that."
