People who endured sexual abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced fresh optimism after their first meeting with the new Pope at the Holy See.
The board president, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, stated that the pontiff's decision to engage with them so soon in his papacy sent a strong message about his commitment to addressing the problem.
Global Strict Approach Advocated
The group is advocating for a worldwide zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any priest who confesses to or is proven of sexually abusing a child. This approach has already been adopted in the US.
The Pontiff recognized that there is "opposition in some parts of the world" to this proposal, according to the representative.
"We were all being realistic when we acknowledged that there is resistance," Hickey stated.
Legacy Challenge
The current pontiff, who took the role in May, has taken on this persistent issue that has haunted the Church for many years.
Previous efforts to address the situation included an historic summit on paedophilia within the Church and changes to canon law to clearly outlaw abuse.
Deeply Felt Connection
For the representative, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the policy is deeply meaningful. The North American advocate revealed they were abused by a priest who was subsequently moved between various churches.
"We trust this will set the tone for his papacy, because we want to collaborate with him," Hickey stated. "Both sides share the same goal, we want to eliminate clergy abuse."
Significant Meeting
Seven members of the coalition, which includes survivors and supporters from more than 30 countries, met with the Pontiff in his Vatican office.
The meeting, initially planned for a brief period, extended to a full hour, during which the Pope "mostly listened to us," according to the representative.
The pontiff was characterized as "quite empathetic" when listening to the story of a woman abused at a Catholic residential school for Indigenous children in North America.
Hickey noted the leader was "tender" about their own experience and seemed "very humble, funny, and approachable."
"Survivors have long wanted a voice in discussions and I didn't perceive like he was making empty promises," Hickey stated. "I believed like he was genuine, practical, and receptive and keen to collaborate with us."
Church Regulations Changes
The group is hoping that changes to canon law will facilitate the adoption of the strict approach globally.
They have spoken with experts and compiled documents that they will present to Pope Leo.
"He appeared engaged in looking at it," they noted.
Accountability Highlighted
A recently released church-ordered report emphasized the "necessity of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or removal of Church leaders or personnel in cases of abuse or negligence."
The report also noted that survivors repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for bishops and senior officials to be made responsible for negligence and concealment."
Moving Forward
The representative revealed they told the Pope at the beginning of their meeting: "This is as much a challenge for him to engage in a dialogue as it was for us."
Following the meeting, they voiced hope for progress.
"We realise it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the conclusion, coming together and building a connection and persisting to strengthen that relationship is a move in the correct path," they stated.
They added that they told with the pontiff: "Even though it's a dark chapter, I feel like we can change how the narrative concludes - he appreciated that."
