Individuals who experienced abuse by church officials have voiced fresh optimism following their initial meeting with the new Pope at the Holy See.
The board president, heading the anti-abuse organization, stated that the pontiff's decision to engage with them so soon in his leadership spoke volumes about his dedication to tackling the problem.
Worldwide Zero-Tolerance Approach Advocated
The group is advocating for a global strict approach that would permanently remove any clergy member who confesses to or is proven of abusing a child. This approach has been implemented in the United States.
The Pope recognized that there is "resistance in some parts of the world" to this initiative, according to Hickey.
"We were all being realistic when we acknowledged that there is resistance," they stated.
Inherited Challenge
The current pontiff, who assumed the position in spring, has inherited this persistent issue that has haunted the Catholic Church for many years.
Earlier attempts to address the problem included an historic summit on paedophilia within the institution and changes to canon law to clearly outlaw abuse.
Personal Link
For the representative, who prefers they/them pronouns, the campaign for global implementation of the measure is personal. The North American advocate revealed they were abused by a priest who was subsequently transferred between different parishes.
"We trust this will establish the direction for his papacy, because we want to work with him," they stated. "Both sides share the same goal, we seek to end clergy abuse."
Historic Encounter
Seven representatives of the coalition, which includes survivors and supporters from over thirty countries, met with the Pope in his official residence.
The meeting, initially planned for a brief period, lasted to a sixty minutes, during which the Pope "primarily heard to us," according to Hickey.
The pontiff was characterized as "very understanding" when hearing the account of a woman abused at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in Canada.
Hickey noted the Pope was "tender" about their personal story and seemed "modest, funny, and very down to earth."
"Survivors have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't perceive like he was making empty promises," they stated. "I felt like he was genuine, practical, and very open and eager to work with us."
Church Regulations Reforms
The group is advocating that revisions to church regulations will enable the adoption of the zero-tolerance policy globally.
They have consulted specialists and compiled materials that they plan to present to the pontiff.
"He appeared interested in looking at it," they remarked.
Accountability Highlighted
A recent church-ordered document emphasized the "importance of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or removal of Church leaders or staff in cases of abuse or negligence."
The report also pointed out that survivors consistently emphasized the "urgent need for church leaders and senior officials to be held accountable for inaction and concealment."
Moving Forward
The representative shared they told the pontiff at the beginning of their meeting: "This is as much a risk for him to engage in a dialogue as it was for us."
Following the encounter, they expressed 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 continuing to strengthen that bond is a move in the correct path," Hickey stated.
They concluded that they shared with Pope Leo: "Just because it's a dark chapter, I feel like we can change how the story concludes - he appreciated that."
