Individuals who experienced 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, stated that the Pope's decision to engage with them so early in his papacy sent a strong message about his dedication to tackling the problem.
Worldwide Strict Approach Pushed
The group is advocating for a worldwide zero-tolerance policy that would permanently remove any priest who admits to or is proven of sexually abusing a minor. This policy has already been adopted in the United States.
The Pope recognized that there is "resistance in some parts of the world" to this initiative, according to the representative.
"We were all being realistic when we recognized that there is resistance," Hickey stated.
Inherited Challenge
The new Pope, who assumed the position in spring, has taken on this longstanding problem that has plagued the Catholic Church for decades.
Earlier attempts to resolve the problem included an unprecedented meeting on child abuse within the Church and changes to canon law to explicitly criminalize abuse.
Personal Connection
For Hickey, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the measure is personal. The North American advocate shared they were victimized by a clergy member who was subsequently moved between various churches.
"We trust this will establish the direction for his leadership, because we want to work with him," Hickey stated. "Both sides share the common objective, we want to end clergy abuse."
Historic Meeting
Seven members of the organization, which represents victims and advocates from over thirty nations, met with the Pontiff in his Vatican office.
The discussion, initially planned for 20 minutes, extended to a full hour, during which the Pope "primarily heard to us," according to the representative.
The pontiff was described as "very understanding" when listening to the story of a female survivor victimized at a church-run institution for native youth in Canada.
They added the leader was "tender" about their personal experience and seemed "modest, humorous, and approachable."
"Survivors have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't feel like he was making empty promises," they stated. "I believed like he was genuine, practical, and receptive and eager to work with us."
Church Regulations Reforms
The group is advocating that changes to canon law will facilitate the adoption of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.
They have spoken with experts and compiled materials that they plan to present to the pontiff.
"He seemed engaged in looking at it," they noted.
Responsibility Highlighted
A recent Vatican-commissioned document emphasized the "necessity of a efficient process for the stepping down and/or removal of religious officials or staff in cases of misconduct or failure to act."
The report also noted that survivors repeatedly stressed the "urgent need for church leaders and major superiors to be held accountable for negligence and cover-up."
Moving Forward
Hickey shared they told the Pope at the start of their meeting: "This represents as much a challenge for him to engage in a conversation as it was for us."
Following the meeting, Hickey voiced hope for future change.
"We understand it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the conclusion, uniting and establishing a relationship and persisting to strengthen that bond is a move in the right direction," Hickey commented.
Hickey concluded that they shared with Pope Leo: "Even though it's a difficult period, I believe like we can change how the story concludes - he appreciated that."
