People who endured sexual abuse by church officials have expressed renewed hope after their initial encounter with the new Pope at the Vatican.
The board president, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, commented that the pontiff's decision to engage with them so early in his leadership spoke volumes about his dedication to tackling the problem.
Worldwide Strict Approach Advocated
The organization is advocating for a worldwide zero-tolerance policy that would permanently remove any clergy member who admits to or is proven of sexually abusing a minor. This approach has been implemented in the United States.
The Pontiff recognized that there is "resistance in some parts of the world" to this proposal, according to the representative.
"Everyone was practical when we acknowledged that there is resistance," Hickey remarked.
Legacy Issue
The current pontiff, who took the role in spring, has taken on this persistent issue that has haunted the Church for decades.
Previous efforts to address the problem included an historic meeting on child abuse within the institution and revisions to canon law to clearly outlaw sexual abuse.
Deeply Felt Link
For the representative, who uses they/them pronouns, the drive for worldwide adoption of the policy is deeply meaningful. The North American advocate revealed they were abused by a clergy member who was later transferred between various churches.
"We trust this will set the tone for his leadership, because we want to collaborate with him," they stated. "Both sides share the same goal, we want to end clergy abuse."
Significant Meeting
Seven members of the coalition, which includes survivors and supporters from more than 30 countries, engaged with the Pontiff in his official residence.
The discussion, initially planned for a brief period, lasted to a sixty minutes, during which the Pope "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 Catholic residential school for native youth in North America.
They added the Pope was "compassionate" about their personal story and seemed "very humble, funny, and approachable."
"Survivors have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't perceive like he was making empty promises," Hickey stated. "I felt like he was sincere, realistic, and very open and keen to collaborate with us."
Church Regulations Changes
The organization is hoping that changes to canon law will facilitate the adoption of the strict approach globally.
They have spoken with specialists and compiled materials that they plan to present to the pontiff.
"He appeared engaged in reviewing it," they noted.
Responsibility Emphasized
A recent Vatican-commissioned document highlighted the "necessity of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or dismissal of Church leaders or personnel in cases of misconduct or negligence."
The document also pointed out that victims repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for church leaders and senior officials to be made responsible for inaction and cover-up."
Path Ahead
Hickey shared they told the Pope at the beginning of their meeting: "This is as much a challenge for him to engage in a conversation as it was for us."
After the encounter, they expressed hope for progress.
"We realise it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the end of the day, coming together and building a relationship and continuing to strengthen that bond is a move in the correct path," they commented.
Hickey added that they told with Pope Leo: "Just because it's a difficult period, I believe like we can change how the story concludes - he valued that."
