People who experienced sexual abuse by church officials have expressed renewed hope after their initial encounter with the new Pope at the Vatican.
The board president, who leads the anti-abuse organization, commented that the Pope's choice to engage with them so soon in his papacy sent a strong message about his dedication to addressing the problem.
Global Strict Approach Advocated
The group is advocating for a global strict approach that would permanently remove any priest who confesses to or is proven of abusing a child. This policy has been implemented in the US.
The Pontiff recognized that there is "resistance in some parts of the globe" to this proposal, according to the representative.
"Everyone was practical when we acknowledged that there is pushback," Hickey remarked.
Inherited Issue
The current pontiff, who assumed the position in spring, has inherited this longstanding issue that has plagued the Catholic Church for decades.
Previous efforts to address the situation included an unprecedented summit on child abuse within the Church and changes to church laws to explicitly criminalize abuse.
Personal Link
For the representative, who prefers gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the policy is personal. The Canadian activist shared they were abused by a clergy member who was subsequently moved between various churches.
"We trust this will establish the direction for his leadership, because we want to work with him," they stated. "We have the common objective, we want to end clergy abuse."
Historic Encounter
Multiple members of the coalition, which includes victims and supporters from over thirty countries, engaged with the Pope in his official residence.
The discussion, originally scheduled for 20 minutes, lasted to a full hour, during which the Pope "primarily heard to us," according to the representative.
The pontiff was described as "very understanding" when hearing the story of a female survivor victimized at a church-run institution for native youth in Canada.
Hickey noted the Pope was "compassionate" about their personal story and seemed "modest, humorous, and very down to earth."
"Survivors have long wanted a seat at the table and I didn't feel like he was making empty promises," they stated. "I felt like he was sincere, practical, and very open and keen to collaborate with us."
Canon Law Reforms
The group is hoping that revisions to canon law will facilitate the adoption of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.
They have consulted specialists and compiled documents that they will present to Pope Leo.
"He appeared interested in reviewing it," Hickey remarked.
Responsibility Emphasized
A recent Vatican-commissioned document highlighted the "importance of a efficient process for the resignation and/or removal of Church leaders or staff in cases of abuse or failure to act."
The document also pointed out that survivors repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for bishops and senior officials to be made responsible for negligence and cover-up."
Path Ahead
Hickey shared they told the Pope at the start of their discussion: "This is as much a risk for him to engage in a dialogue as it was for us."
Following the meeting, Hickey voiced hope for progress.
"We understand it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the end of the day, uniting and building a connection and persisting to strengthen that bond is a move in the correct path," they stated.
They added that they shared with Pope Leo: "Even though it's a difficult period, I feel like we can change how the story concludes - he valued that."
