People who experienced abuse by church officials have voiced renewed hope after their first meeting with the new Pope at the Vatican.
The board president, heading the anti-abuse organization, commented that the Pope's decision to meet with them so early in his papacy spoke volumes about his dedication to tackling the issue.
Global Strict Approach Advocated
The group is pushing for a global zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any clergy member who admits to or is proven of abusing a minor. This policy has already been adopted in the United States.
The Pope recognized that there is "resistance in certain regions of the globe" to this proposal, according to the representative.
"We were all being realistic when we acknowledged that there is pushback," they stated.
Inherited Issue
The current pontiff, who assumed the position in May, has taken on this longstanding problem that has haunted the Catholic Church for decades.
Previous efforts to resolve the situation included an historic summit on paedophilia within the institution and revisions to canon law to explicitly criminalize abuse.
Deeply Felt Link
For the representative, who prefers they/them pronouns, the campaign for worldwide adoption of the measure is deeply meaningful. The Canadian activist revealed they were abused by a priest who was later transferred between different parishes.
"Hopefully this will set the tone for his papacy, because we aim to work with him," Hickey stated. "Both sides share the common objective, we want to end abuse by religious officials."
Significant Meeting
Seven members of the coalition, which represents survivors and advocates from more than 30 countries, met with the Pontiff in his official residence.
The discussion, originally scheduled for a brief period, lasted to a full hour, during which the Pope "mostly listened to us," according to the representative.
The Pope was characterized as "quite empathetic" when hearing the story of a woman abused at a Catholic residential school for Indigenous children in North America.
They noted the leader was "compassionate" about their own experience and appeared "modest, 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 stated. "I believed like he was sincere, practical, and receptive and keen to work with us."
Church Regulations Changes
The organization is hoping that changes to canon law will enable the implementation of the strict approach globally.
They have consulted experts and compiled materials that they will submit to the pontiff.
"He appeared engaged in looking at it," Hickey remarked.
Accountability Emphasized
A recent church-ordered report highlighted the "necessity of a efficient process for the stepping down and/or removal of Church leaders or personnel in cases of misconduct or failure to act."
The document also noted that victims consistently emphasized the "critical requirement for bishops and senior officials to be made responsible for inaction and cover-up."
Moving Forward
The representative revealed they told the pontiff at the beginning of their meeting: "This represents as much a challenge for him to engage in a dialogue as it was for us."
After the meeting, Hickey voiced optimism for future change.
"We understand it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the end of the day, uniting and establishing a connection and persisting to strengthen that relationship is a move in the right direction," Hickey stated.
They added that they shared with Pope Leo: "Even though it's a difficult period, I believe like we can change how the narrative ends - he appreciated that."
