Individuals who experienced sexual abuse by church officials have expressed fresh optimism after their first meeting with Pope Leo at the Vatican.
The board president, heading the anti-abuse organization, commented that the Pope's choice to engage with them so soon in his papacy sent a strong message about his dedication to tackling the issue.
Worldwide Strict Policy Pushed
The group is advocating for a global strict approach that would defrock any clergy member who confesses to or is proven of abusing a minor. This approach has been implemented in the US.
The Pope acknowledged that there is "opposition in certain regions of the globe" to this proposal, according to the representative.
"We were all being realistic when we recognized that there is pushback," they stated.
Legacy Challenge
The current pontiff, who assumed the position in spring, has taken on this longstanding issue that has haunted the Church for decades.
Previous efforts to address the problem included an unprecedented summit on child abuse within the institution and changes to canon law to explicitly criminalize sexual abuse.
Deeply Felt Connection
For the representative, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for worldwide adoption of the measure is deeply meaningful. The Canadian advocate shared they were victimized by a clergy member who was subsequently transferred between different parishes.
"We trust this will establish the direction for his leadership, because we aim to collaborate with him," they expressed. "Both sides share the same goal, we want to end clergy abuse."
Historic Encounter
Multiple members of the coalition, which includes survivors and supporters from more than 30 nations, met with the Pope in his official residence.
The discussion, originally scheduled for 20 minutes, lasted to a full hour, during which the religious leader "primarily heard to us," according to Hickey.
The Pope was characterized as "very understanding" when listening to the story of a woman abused at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in North America.
Hickey noted the Pope was "tender" about their personal story and seemed "very humble, funny, and very down to earth."
"Victims have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't feel like he was giving us lip service," they stated. "I believed like he was genuine, realistic, and very open and keen to collaborate with us."
Canon Law Reforms
The organization is advocating that changes to church regulations will enable the adoption of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.
They have spoken with specialists and gathered documents that they will submit to Pope Leo.
"He appeared interested in looking at it," Hickey noted.
Responsibility Emphasized
A recent church-ordered document highlighted the "importance of a efficient process for the stepping down and/or dismissal of religious officials or personnel in cases of abuse or failure to act."
The report also noted that survivors repeatedly stressed the "urgent need for church leaders and major superiors to be made responsible for inaction and cover-up."
Moving Forward
The representative shared they informed the Pope at the start of their discussion: "This represents as much a risk for him to participate in a conversation as it was for us."
After the meeting, Hickey expressed hope for progress.
"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 relationship is a move in the right direction," Hickey commented.
They concluded that they told with Pope Leo: "Even though it's a difficult period, I feel like we can alter how the narrative ends - he appreciated that."
