Individuals who experienced sexual abuse by church officials have expressed renewed hope after their first meeting with Pope Leo at the Holy See.
Gemma Hickey, heading the anti-abuse organization, commented that the pontiff's decision to engage with them so early in his leadership sent a strong message about his commitment to addressing the problem.
Worldwide Strict Approach Pushed
The group is pushing for a worldwide zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any priest who admits to or is proven of sexually abusing a minor. This approach has already been adopted in the US.
The Pontiff recognized that there is "resistance in certain regions of the world" to this proposal, according to the representative.
"We were all being realistic when we recognized that there is resistance," they stated.
Legacy Issue
The new Pope, who assumed the position in spring, has taken on this longstanding problem that has plagued the Church for decades.
Previous efforts to address the situation included an historic meeting on child abuse within the institution and revisions to canon law to clearly outlaw abuse.
Personal Link
For Hickey, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, the campaign for worldwide adoption of the measure is personal. The Canadian activist shared they were victimized by a clergy member who was later transferred between various churches.
"We trust this will establish the direction for his papacy, because we want to collaborate with him," they stated. "We have the same goal, we seek to eliminate clergy abuse."
Significant Encounter
Multiple members of the organization, which represents survivors and supporters from over thirty nations, met with the Pope in his Vatican office.
The discussion, initially planned for 20 minutes, extended to a full hour, during which the religious leader "mostly listened to us," according to Hickey.
The pontiff was characterized as "very understanding" when listening to the story of a female survivor abused at a church-run institution for native youth in Canada.
They noted the leader 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 believed like he was genuine, realistic, and receptive and keen to work with us."
Canon Law Changes
The group is hoping that revisions to canon law will enable the adoption of the strict approach globally.
They have spoken with experts and compiled materials that they will submit to Pope Leo.
"He appeared engaged in reviewing it," Hickey remarked.
Responsibility Highlighted
A recently released Vatican-commissioned report highlighted the "importance of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or removal of Church leaders or personnel in cases of misconduct or failure to act."
The report also noted that victims repeatedly stressed the "urgent need for bishops and senior officials to be held accountable for inaction and concealment."
Path Ahead
Hickey revealed they told the Pope at the start of their meeting: "This is as much a risk for him to engage in a dialogue as it was for us."
Following the meeting, they expressed hope for future change.
"We realise it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the end of the day, coming together and building a connection and persisting to strengthen that bond is a step in the right direction," they stated.
Hickey added that they told with the pontiff: "Even though it's a dark chapter, I believe like we can change how the narrative ends - he appreciated that."
