People who endured sexual abuse by church officials have expressed fresh optimism following their initial encounter with Pope Leo at the Vatican.
The board president, who leads Ending Clergy Abuse, commented that the Pope's decision to engage with them so soon in his leadership sent a strong message about his dedication to tackling the issue.
Global Zero-Tolerance Policy Pushed
The group is advocating for a global strict approach that would defrock any clergy member who confesses to or is proven of sexually abusing a minor. This policy has been implemented in the US.
The Pontiff recognized that there is "opposition in some parts of the globe" to this proposal, according to Hickey.
"Everyone was practical when we acknowledged that there is pushback," Hickey remarked.
Inherited Challenge
The new Pope, who assumed the role in spring, has taken on this longstanding issue that has plagued the Catholic Church for many years.
Previous efforts to address the problem included an historic meeting on child abuse within the institution and changes to canon law to clearly outlaw sexual abuse.
Personal Link
For the representative, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, the campaign for worldwide adoption of the policy is personal. The Canadian activist revealed they were victimized by a priest who was subsequently moved between different parishes.
"Hopefully this will establish the direction for his papacy, because we aim to work with him," they stated. "Both sides share the common objective, we seek to eliminate clergy abuse."
Historic Meeting
Multiple representatives of the coalition, which represents victims and supporters from over thirty nations, met with the Pope in his official residence.
The meeting, originally scheduled for a brief period, extended to a full hour, during which the Pope "mostly listened to us," according to Hickey.
The pontiff 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 leader was "compassionate" about their personal experience and seemed "modest, funny, and approachable."
"Survivors have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't feel like he was giving us lip service," Hickey stated. "I believed like he was genuine, realistic, and receptive and eager to collaborate with us."
Canon Law Changes
The group is hoping that changes to canon law will facilitate the adoption of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.
They have consulted specialists and gathered materials that they plan to present to the pontiff.
"He seemed interested in reviewing it," they noted.
Responsibility Emphasized
A recently released Vatican-commissioned document emphasized the "importance of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or dismissal of Church leaders or staff in cases of misconduct or negligence."
The report also pointed out that victims consistently emphasized the "critical requirement for bishops and senior officials to be held accountable for negligence and cover-up."
Path Ahead
The representative revealed they told the pontiff at the start of their discussion: "This represents as much a challenge for him to participate in a conversation as it was for us."
After the meeting, they voiced hope for future change.
"We realise it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the end of the day, uniting and establishing a relationship and continuing to strengthen that bond is a step in the correct path," they commented.
Hickey concluded that they shared with the pontiff: "Just because it's a difficult period, I feel like we can change how the narrative ends - he appreciated that."
