People who endured abuse by church officials have expressed renewed hope after their initial meeting with the new Pope at the Vatican.
Gemma Hickey, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, commented that the pontiff's decision to meet with them so soon in his papacy sent a strong message about his commitment to addressing the problem.
Worldwide Strict Approach Pushed
The group is advocating for a worldwide zero-tolerance policy that would permanently remove any clergy member who admits to or is found guilty of abusing a child. This policy has already been adopted in the US.
The Pope acknowledged that there is "opposition in certain regions of the globe" to this proposal, according to the representative.
"We were all being realistic when we recognized that there is resistance," they stated.
Inherited Issue
The current pontiff, who assumed the position in spring, has taken on this longstanding problem that has plagued the Catholic Church for many years.
Earlier attempts to address the problem included an historic summit on child abuse within the institution and revisions to church laws to clearly outlaw abuse.
Personal Connection
For Hickey, who uses they/them pronouns, the campaign for worldwide adoption of the policy is deeply meaningful. The North American activist revealed they were abused by a priest who was later transferred between various churches.
"Hopefully this will set the tone for his leadership, because we want to work with him," they stated. "We have the same goal, we seek to eliminate clergy abuse."
Significant Meeting
Seven representatives of the coalition, which represents victims and advocates from more than 30 nations, engaged with the Pontiff in his official residence.
The meeting, originally scheduled for a brief period, extended to a full hour, during which the religious leader "primarily heard to us," according to Hickey.
The pontiff was characterized as "very understanding" when listening to the story of a female survivor abused at a Catholic residential school for Indigenous children in Canada.
They noted the leader was "tender" about their own experience and appeared "very humble, funny, and approachable."
"Survivors have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't feel like he was giving us lip service," Hickey commented. "I believed like he was sincere, practical, and very open and keen to work with us."
Church Regulations Reforms
The organization is hoping that revisions to church regulations will facilitate the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.
They have consulted experts and compiled materials that they will present to Pope Leo.
"He appeared interested in looking at it," they remarked.
Accountability Emphasized
A recent Vatican-commissioned report highlighted the "importance of a efficient process for the stepping down and/or removal of Church leaders or personnel in cases of misconduct or negligence."
The document also noted that survivors consistently emphasized the "urgent need for bishops and senior officials to be made responsible for inaction and cover-up."
Moving Forward
The representative shared they told the pontiff at the beginning of their discussion: "This is as much a risk for him to engage in a dialogue as it was for us."
After the meeting, they voiced optimism for future change.
"We understand it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the conclusion, coming together and building a relationship and continuing to strengthen that bond is a move in the right direction," Hickey stated.
Hickey added that they told with the pontiff: "Just because it's a dark chapter, I feel like we can alter how the narrative ends - he appreciated that."
