Individuals who endured sexual abuse by Catholic clergy have expressed renewed hope after their first meeting with Pope Leo at the Vatican.
The board president, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, commented that the Pope's choice to engage with them so early in his leadership spoke volumes about his dedication to addressing the problem.
Worldwide Strict Approach Pushed
The organization is advocating for a global zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any clergy member who admits to or is proven of abusing a child. This policy has been implemented in the United States.
The Pontiff recognized that there is "resistance in certain regions of the world" to this initiative, according to the representative.
"Everyone was practical when we acknowledged that there is resistance," Hickey remarked.
Legacy 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 problem included an unprecedented summit on child abuse within the Church and changes to canon law to explicitly criminalize abuse.
Personal Link
For Hickey, who prefers they/them pronouns, the campaign for worldwide adoption of the policy is personal. The North American activist shared they were abused by a clergy member who was later transferred between various churches.
"We trust this will set the tone for his leadership, because we aim to work with him," Hickey stated. "We have the same goal, we seek to end abuse by religious officials."
Significant Meeting
Seven representatives of the organization, which includes victims and supporters from more than 30 nations, met with the Pontiff in his official residence.
The meeting, initially planned for a brief period, lasted to a full hour, during which the Pope "mostly listened to us," according to the representative.
The pontiff was described as "very understanding" when hearing the story of a woman victimized at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in North America.
They added the leader was "tender" about their own story and seemed "very humble, funny, and very down to earth."
"Survivors have consistently sought a seat at the table and I didn't feel like he was giving us lip service," Hickey commented. "I felt like he was sincere, realistic, and very open and keen to collaborate with us."
Church Regulations Reforms
The group is hoping that changes to church regulations will enable the adoption of the zero-tolerance policy globally.
They have consulted specialists and gathered materials that they plan to submit to the pontiff.
"He appeared engaged in looking at it," Hickey noted.
Accountability Emphasized
A recent church-ordered document emphasized the "necessity of a streamlined protocol for the resignation and/or removal of religious officials or staff in cases of abuse or failure to act."
The document also noted that survivors consistently emphasized the "critical requirement for bishops and senior officials to be held accountable for negligence and cover-up."
Moving Forward
Hickey shared they told the Pope at the start of their discussion: "This represents as much a risk for him to participate in a dialogue as it was for us."
After the encounter, Hickey voiced optimism for progress.
"We realise it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the conclusion, uniting and establishing a connection and continuing to build that bond is a move in the correct path," they stated.
They concluded that they shared with Pope Leo: "Just because it's a difficult period, I feel like we can alter how the narrative concludes - he valued that."
