People who endured abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced renewed hope following their initial encounter with the new Pope at the Holy See.
Gemma Hickey, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, stated that the Pope's decision to engage with them so early in his papacy spoke volumes about his dedication to tackling the problem.
Global Strict Policy Advocated
The group is advocating for a worldwide zero-tolerance policy that would permanently remove any clergy member who admits to or is proven of abusing a minor. This policy has already been adopted in the US.
The Pope recognized that there is "opposition in some parts of the world" to this initiative, according to Hickey.
"Everyone was practical when we acknowledged that there is resistance," Hickey remarked.
Inherited Challenge
The new Pope, who assumed the role in spring, has taken on this persistent issue that has plagued the Catholic Church for decades.
Earlier attempts to resolve the situation included an historic meeting on paedophilia within the Church and revisions to church laws to clearly outlaw sexual abuse.
Deeply Felt Connection
For Hickey, who prefers gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the policy is personal. The Canadian advocate revealed they were victimized by a clergy member who was subsequently transferred between various churches.
"Hopefully this will set the tone for his leadership, because we want to collaborate with him," they expressed. "Both sides share the common objective, we seek to eliminate abuse by religious officials."
Significant Meeting
Multiple members of the coalition, which includes survivors and advocates from over thirty countries, met with the Pope in his Vatican office.
The discussion, originally scheduled for 20 minutes, extended to a full hour, during which the Pope "primarily heard to us," according to the representative.
The pontiff was characterized as "quite empathetic" when hearing the account of a woman abused at a Catholic residential school for Indigenous children in North America.
They noted the leader was "compassionate" about their own story and appeared "modest, humorous, and approachable."
"Survivors have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't perceive like he was making empty promises," Hickey commented. "I felt like he was sincere, practical, and receptive and keen to work with us."
Church Regulations Reforms
The group is hoping that revisions to canon law will facilitate the adoption of the zero-tolerance policy globally.
They have consulted experts and compiled materials that they will present to Pope Leo.
"He seemed engaged in looking at it," they remarked.
Responsibility Highlighted
A recent church-ordered document highlighted the "necessity of a efficient process 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 church leaders and major superiors to be made responsible for inaction and cover-up."
Moving Forward
The representative revealed they told the Pope at the start of their meeting: "This represents as much a challenge for him to engage in a dialogue as it was for us."
After the encounter, Hickey expressed hope for progress.
"We understand it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the conclusion, uniting and establishing a relationship and continuing to build that relationship is a move in the correct path," they stated.
They concluded that they told with Pope Leo: "Even though it's a dark chapter, I believe like we can change how the story concludes - he appreciated that."
