Individuals who endured abuse by church officials have voiced renewed hope following their first meeting with the new Pope at the Holy See.
Gemma Hickey, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, stated that the Pope's decision to meet with them so early in his leadership spoke volumes about his dedication to addressing the problem.
Global Zero-Tolerance Approach Advocated
The group is pushing for a worldwide strict approach that would defrock any clergy member who confesses to or is proven of abusing a child. This approach has already been adopted in the US.
The Pontiff acknowledged that there is "resistance in some parts of the world" to this proposal, according to the representative.
"We were all being realistic when we recognized that there is pushback," Hickey remarked.
Inherited Issue
The new Pope, who took the role in spring, has taken on this persistent problem that has haunted the Catholic Church for many years.
Earlier attempts to resolve the problem included an unprecedented summit on paedophilia within the institution and changes to canon law to clearly outlaw abuse.
Deeply Felt Link
For Hickey, who prefers they/them pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the policy is personal. The Canadian activist shared they were victimized by a clergy member who was subsequently transferred between various churches.
"Hopefully this will establish the direction for his leadership, because we want to work with him," they stated. "We have the common objective, we seek to eliminate abuse by religious officials."
Historic Meeting
Seven members of the coalition, which includes survivors and advocates from more than 30 nations, engaged with the Pontiff in his official residence.
The meeting, initially planned for 20 minutes, extended to a sixty minutes, during which the religious leader "primarily heard to us," according to Hickey.
The pontiff was described as "very understanding" when hearing the story of a female survivor victimized at a church-run institution for native youth in Canada.
They noted the Pope was "tender" about their own experience and appeared "modest, humorous, and very down to earth."
"Survivors have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't perceive like he was making empty promises," Hickey commented. "I believed like he was sincere, practical, and receptive and eager to work with us."
Canon Law Reforms
The group is advocating that changes to canon law will facilitate the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.
They have consulted specialists and compiled documents that they plan to present to Pope Leo.
"He seemed engaged in reviewing it," they noted.
Accountability Emphasized
A recent Vatican-commissioned report emphasized the "importance of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or dismissal of religious officials or personnel in cases of abuse or failure to act."
The document also noted that survivors repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for bishops and major superiors to be made responsible for inaction and cover-up."
Path Ahead
The representative shared they informed the Pope at the start of their meeting: "This is as much a challenge for him to participate in a conversation as it was for us."
After the encounter, Hickey voiced optimism for future change.
"We understand it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the conclusion, uniting and building a relationship and continuing to strengthen that bond is a step in the correct path," Hickey commented.
They concluded that they told with the pontiff: "Even though it's a dark chapter, I believe like we can change how the story concludes - he appreciated that."
