Individuals who experienced abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced fresh optimism after their initial encounter with the new Pope at the Vatican.
The board president, who leads Ending Clergy Abuse, commented that the Pope's decision to engage with them so early in his leadership spoke volumes about his dedication to tackling the problem.
Worldwide Strict Policy Advocated
The group is advocating for a global zero-tolerance policy that would permanently remove any clergy member who confesses to or is found guilty of abusing a child. This policy has been implemented in the United States.
The Pope acknowledged that there is "opposition in some parts of the globe" to this initiative, according to the representative.
"We were all being realistic when we recognized that there is pushback," Hickey stated.
Legacy Issue
The new Pope, who assumed the position in spring, has taken on this persistent issue that has haunted the Church for many years.
Previous efforts to resolve the situation included an historic summit on paedophilia within the Church and revisions to canon law to clearly outlaw abuse.
Personal Connection
For the representative, who prefers gender-neutral pronouns, the campaign for global implementation of the policy is personal. The Canadian advocate shared they were victimized by a priest who was subsequently moved between various churches.
"Hopefully this will establish the direction for his leadership, because we want to collaborate with him," Hickey stated. "Both sides share the same goal, we seek to end abuse by religious officials."
Historic Meeting
Seven representatives of the coalition, which includes victims and advocates from more than 30 countries, engaged with the Pontiff in his official residence.
The discussion, initially planned for a brief period, lasted to a full hour, during which the Pope "mostly listened to us," according to the representative.
The Pope was described as "very understanding" when listening to the account of a female survivor abused at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in North America.
Hickey added the Pope was "tender" about their own experience and seemed "very humble, funny, and approachable."
"Survivors have long wanted a seat at the table and I didn't feel like he was giving us lip service," Hickey commented. "I believed like he was sincere, practical, and very open and keen to work with us."
Church Regulations Changes
The group is advocating that revisions to church regulations will enable the adoption of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.
They have spoken with experts and compiled documents that they will submit to Pope Leo.
"He seemed engaged in reviewing it," they remarked.
Responsibility Emphasized
A recently released Vatican-commissioned report highlighted the "importance of a efficient process for the resignation and/or dismissal of religious officials or personnel in cases of misconduct or negligence."
The report also pointed out that survivors consistently emphasized the "critical requirement for bishops and major superiors to be held accountable for negligence and concealment."
Moving Forward
The representative shared they told the Pope at the start of their discussion: "This is as much a challenge for him to participate in a conversation as it was for us."
After the meeting, Hickey expressed optimism for future change.
"We realise it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the end of the day, uniting and establishing a connection and continuing to build that bond is a step in the right direction," they commented.
Hickey concluded that they told with Pope Leo: "Even though it's a dark chapter, I feel like we can alter how the narrative ends - he valued that."
