People who experienced abuse by Catholic clergy have expressed renewed hope after their initial meeting with Pope Leo at the Vatican.
The board president, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, stated that the pontiff's choice to engage with them so early in his papacy sent a strong message about his commitment to addressing the issue.
Global Zero-Tolerance Policy Pushed
The group is pushing for a worldwide zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any clergy member who admits to or is found guilty of abusing a minor. This approach has been implemented in the United States.
The Pontiff acknowledged that there is "opposition in certain regions of the world" to this proposal, according to the representative.
"Everyone was practical when we recognized that there is resistance," Hickey remarked.
Legacy Issue
The current pontiff, who took the position in spring, has inherited this persistent issue that has haunted the Church for many years.
Previous efforts to address the situation included an unprecedented summit on paedophilia within the Church and revisions to canon law to explicitly criminalize sexual abuse.
Personal Link
For the representative, who uses they/them pronouns, the campaign for global implementation of the measure is deeply meaningful. The North American advocate shared they were victimized by a priest who was later transferred between various churches.
"Hopefully this will establish the direction for his papacy, because we aim to collaborate with him," Hickey expressed. "We have the common objective, we seek to end clergy abuse."
Historic Meeting
Seven members of the coalition, which includes victims and advocates from over thirty countries, engaged with the Pope in his official residence.
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 "very understanding" when hearing the account of a woman abused at a Catholic residential school for native youth in Canada.
They noted the Pope was "compassionate" about their personal experience and appeared "very humble, funny, and approachable."
"Survivors have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't feel like he was making empty promises," Hickey stated. "I felt like he was sincere, practical, and very open and keen to collaborate with us."
Church Regulations Changes
The organization is advocating that revisions to canon law will enable the implementation of the strict approach worldwide.
They have consulted specialists and compiled documents that they will present to Pope Leo.
"He appeared engaged in reviewing it," they noted.
Responsibility Emphasized
A recent Vatican-commissioned report emphasized the "importance of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or dismissal of religious officials or staff in cases of abuse or failure to act."
The report also pointed out that victims consistently emphasized the "urgent need for bishops and senior officials to be held accountable for inaction and cover-up."
Moving Forward
Hickey shared they informed the pontiff at the start of their discussion: "This is as much a challenge for him to engage in a dialogue as it was for us."
After the meeting, Hickey voiced hope for future change.
"We realise it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the conclusion, uniting and building a relationship and continuing to build that bond is a move in the correct path," they stated.
Hickey added that they shared with Pope Leo: "Just because it's a dark chapter, I feel like we can alter how the story ends - he valued that."
