People who experienced sexual abuse by church officials have expressed renewed hope after their initial meeting with Pope Leo at the Vatican.
The board president, heading the anti-abuse organization, stated that the pontiff's choice to engage with them so soon in his leadership sent a strong message about his commitment to addressing the issue.
Worldwide Zero-Tolerance Approach Pushed
The organization is pushing for a worldwide strict approach that would defrock any clergy member who admits to or is proven of sexually abusing a child. This approach has already been adopted in the United States.
The Pope acknowledged 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 remarked.
Inherited Challenge
The current pontiff, who assumed the position in spring, has inherited this persistent problem that has plagued the Church for many years.
Previous efforts to resolve the problem included an unprecedented summit on child abuse within the institution and revisions to church laws to clearly outlaw sexual abuse.
Personal Connection
For the representative, who prefers gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for worldwide adoption of the measure is personal. The Canadian advocate revealed they were victimized by a clergy member who was subsequently moved between different parishes.
"Hopefully this will set the tone for his papacy, because we want to collaborate with him," Hickey stated. "We have the same goal, we seek to eliminate abuse by religious officials."
Significant Meeting
Seven members of the coalition, which includes survivors and advocates from over thirty nations, engaged with the Pontiff in his official residence.
The meeting, initially planned for 20 minutes, extended to a full hour, during which the Pope "mostly listened to us," according to the representative.
The pontiff was characterized as "very understanding" when listening to the story of a female survivor victimized at a Catholic residential school for Indigenous children in North America.
Hickey added the Pope was "tender" about their own story and seemed "modest, funny, and approachable."
"Survivors have long wanted a voice in discussions and I didn't perceive like he was making empty promises," they commented. "I felt like he was genuine, realistic, and very open and eager to collaborate with us."
Canon Law Reforms
The group is hoping that changes to canon law will facilitate the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.
They have consulted experts and gathered materials that they plan to submit to the pontiff.
"He appeared engaged in looking at it," they remarked.
Accountability Emphasized
A recent Vatican-commissioned document emphasized the "importance of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or removal of religious officials or staff in cases of abuse or negligence."
The document also pointed out that victims consistently emphasized the "critical requirement for bishops and major superiors to be held accountable for inaction and cover-up."
Moving Forward
Hickey shared they told the Pope at the start of their discussion: "This represents as much a challenge for him to engage in a dialogue as it was for us."
Following the meeting, they voiced hope for future change.
"We realise 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 step in the right direction," Hickey commented.
Hickey added that they told with the pontiff: "Even though it's a dark chapter, I believe like we can change how the story ends - he appreciated that."
