Individuals who experienced sexual abuse by church officials have voiced renewed hope after their initial meeting with the new Pope at the Holy See.
Gemma Hickey, heading the anti-abuse organization, stated that the Pope's decision to meet with them so soon in his leadership spoke volumes about his dedication to tackling the issue.
Worldwide Strict Approach Pushed
The organization is pushing for a global zero-tolerance policy that would permanently remove any priest who confesses to or is found guilty of abusing a minor. This approach has been implemented in the US.
The Pontiff recognized that there is "resistance in some parts of the world" to this proposal, according to Hickey.
"We were all being realistic when we recognized that there is pushback," Hickey remarked.
Inherited Challenge
The new Pope, who assumed the position in May, has taken on this longstanding issue that has plagued the Catholic Church for decades.
Previous efforts to resolve the situation included an historic meeting on child abuse within the institution and changes to canon law to explicitly criminalize sexual abuse.
Personal Connection
For Hickey, who prefers they/them pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the policy is personal. The North American activist revealed they were victimized by a clergy member who was later moved between different parishes.
"We trust this will establish the direction for his leadership, because we aim to collaborate with him," Hickey expressed. "Both sides share the common objective, we seek to eliminate abuse by religious officials."
Historic Meeting
Seven representatives of the coalition, which represents victims and advocates from over thirty countries, met with the Pope in his Vatican office.
The meeting, originally scheduled for 20 minutes, lasted to a full hour, during which the Pope "primarily heard to us," according to Hickey.
The Pope was described as "quite empathetic" when listening to the account of a female survivor victimized at a Catholic residential school for native youth in North America.
They noted the Pope was "tender" about their personal experience and appeared "modest, funny, and very down to earth."
"Survivors have long wanted a voice in discussions and I didn't feel like he was making empty promises," Hickey stated. "I felt like he was genuine, realistic, and very open and keen to collaborate with us."
Canon Law Changes
The organization is advocating that changes to church regulations will facilitate the implementation of the strict approach worldwide.
They have spoken with experts and compiled documents that they will present to Pope Leo.
"He seemed engaged in reviewing it," they remarked.
Accountability Emphasized
A recent church-ordered report emphasized the "necessity of a streamlined protocol for the resignation and/or dismissal of religious officials or staff in cases of abuse or negligence."
The document also noted that victims consistently emphasized the "critical requirement for bishops and major superiors to be made responsible for negligence and cover-up."
Path Ahead
The representative shared they told the pontiff at the start of their meeting: "This is as much a risk for him to engage in a conversation as it was for us."
Following the encounter, Hickey voiced optimism for progress.
"We realise it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the end of the day, coming together and establishing a connection and continuing to build that relationship is a step in the correct path," Hickey commented.
They concluded that they shared with the pontiff: "Even though it's a difficult period, I feel like we can change how the narrative concludes - he valued that."
