Individuals who experienced sexual abuse by church officials have voiced renewed hope following their first meeting with the new Pope at the Holy See.
Gemma Hickey, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, commented that the Pope's choice to meet with them so early in his papacy sent a strong message about his commitment to tackling the issue.
Global Strict Policy Pushed
The group is advocating for a global zero-tolerance policy that would permanently remove any clergy member who admits to or is found guilty of sexually abusing a minor. This policy has been implemented in the United States.
The Pontiff acknowledged that there is "resistance in some parts of the world" to this proposal, according to Hickey.
"Everyone was practical when we acknowledged that there is pushback," Hickey remarked.
Legacy Challenge
The new Pope, who took the position in May, has taken on this persistent problem that has plagued the Catholic Church for decades.
Previous efforts to resolve the situation included an unprecedented summit on paedophilia within the Church and changes to canon law to clearly outlaw sexual abuse.
Deeply Felt Link
For the representative, who prefers they/them pronouns, the campaign for worldwide adoption of the measure is deeply meaningful. The North American advocate revealed they were abused by a clergy member who was later moved between various churches.
"Hopefully this will establish the direction for his papacy, because we want to collaborate with him," Hickey stated. "Both sides share the common objective, we want to end clergy abuse."
Historic Encounter
Multiple members of the organization, which includes survivors and supporters from more than 30 nations, engaged with the Pope in his Vatican office.
The discussion, initially planned for a brief period, extended to a sixty minutes, during which the Pope "primarily heard to us," according to the representative.
The Pope was described as "very understanding" when hearing the story of a woman abused at a church-run institution for native youth in Canada.
Hickey added the Pope was "tender" about their own story 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 eager to collaborate with us."
Canon Law Reforms
The organization is advocating that changes to canon law will facilitate the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy globally.
They have consulted experts and gathered documents that they plan to submit to Pope Leo.
"He seemed engaged in reviewing it," Hickey remarked.
Accountability Emphasized
A recent church-ordered document highlighted the "importance of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or dismissal of religious officials or staff in cases of abuse or negligence."
The report also pointed out that victims repeatedly stressed the "urgent need for bishops and major superiors to be made responsible for negligence and concealment."
Path Ahead
Hickey revealed they told the Pope at the start of their discussion: "This is as much a risk for him to engage in a conversation as it was for us."
Following the encounter, they voiced hope for progress.
"We understand it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the conclusion, coming together and establishing a connection and continuing to build that relationship is a move in the right direction," they commented.
Hickey added that they shared with the pontiff: "Even though it's a dark chapter, I feel like we can alter how the story ends - he appreciated that."
