People who experienced sexual abuse by church officials have expressed fresh optimism after their initial meeting with Pope Leo at the Vatican.
Gemma Hickey, who leads Ending Clergy Abuse, commented that the pontiff's choice to meet with them so soon in his papacy sent a strong message about his dedication to addressing the issue.
Global Zero-Tolerance Policy Pushed
The group is advocating for a global zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any priest who confesses to or is proven of sexually abusing a child. This policy has been implemented in the United States.
The Pontiff acknowledged that there is "opposition in certain regions of the globe" to this proposal, according to Hickey.
"Everyone was practical when we acknowledged that there is pushback," they stated.
Legacy Issue
The new Pope, who took the role in spring, has inherited this persistent problem that has haunted the Church for decades.
Earlier attempts to resolve the problem included an historic meeting on paedophilia within the Church and revisions to church laws to clearly outlaw sexual abuse.
Personal Connection
For Hickey, who prefers they/them pronouns, the drive for worldwide adoption of the policy is personal. The North American advocate revealed they were abused by a priest who was subsequently moved between different parishes.
"We trust this will set the tone for his leadership, because we want to work with him," Hickey stated. "We have the common objective, we want to eliminate clergy abuse."
Historic Encounter
Seven representatives of the organization, which represents survivors and advocates from more than 30 countries, engaged with the Pope in his official residence.
The meeting, originally scheduled for a brief period, extended to a full hour, during which the religious leader "mostly listened to us," according to Hickey.
The pontiff was described as "quite empathetic" when hearing the account of a woman victimized at a church-run institution for native youth in North America.
They noted the Pope was "compassionate" about their own experience and seemed "modest, funny, and approachable."
"Victims have long wanted a voice in discussions and I didn't perceive like he was making empty promises," they commented. "I believed like he was sincere, practical, and very open and keen to work with us."
Canon Law Changes
The organization is advocating that changes to church regulations will enable the adoption of the strict approach globally.
They have consulted specialists and gathered materials that they will present to Pope Leo.
"He appeared engaged in looking at it," they remarked.
Accountability Emphasized
A recently released church-ordered document 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 noted that victims repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for bishops and senior officials to be made responsible for negligence and cover-up."
Path Ahead
The representative shared they told the pontiff at the start of their discussion: "This is as much a challenge for him to participate in a conversation as it was for us."
Following the encounter, they 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," Hickey stated.
They added that they shared with Pope Leo: "Just because it's a dark chapter, I feel like we can alter how the narrative ends - he appreciated that."
