People who experienced abuse by church officials have voiced renewed hope following their first encounter with the new Pope at the Vatican.
Gemma Hickey, who leads Ending Clergy Abuse, stated that the pontiff's decision to engage with them so early in his papacy sent a strong message about his commitment to tackling the issue.
Global Strict Approach Advocated
The organization is advocating for a global zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any priest who admits to or is found guilty of sexually abusing a minor. This approach has been implemented in the US.
The Pope recognized that there is "opposition in some parts of the world" to this proposal, according to Hickey.
"Everyone was practical when we acknowledged that there is resistance," Hickey stated.
Legacy Challenge
The current pontiff, who took the position in spring, has inherited this longstanding issue that has haunted the Church for many years.
Earlier attempts to address the situation included an unprecedented summit on paedophilia within the institution and revisions to canon law to explicitly criminalize sexual abuse.
Deeply Felt Connection
For the representative, who prefers they/them pronouns, the campaign for worldwide adoption of the policy is deeply meaningful. The North American advocate revealed they were victimized by a priest who was subsequently moved between various churches.
"Hopefully this will establish the direction for his leadership, because we aim to collaborate with him," Hickey stated. "Both sides share the common objective, we want to eliminate abuse by religious officials."
Historic Meeting
Multiple members of the organization, which includes survivors and supporters from more than 30 nations, engaged with the Pope in his Vatican office.
The discussion, initially planned for a brief period, extended to a full hour, during which the Pope "primarily heard to us," according to the representative.
The pontiff was characterized as "quite empathetic" when hearing the account of a female survivor abused at a church-run institution for native youth in North America.
Hickey added the Pope was "tender" about their personal experience and appeared "modest, humorous, and very down to earth."
"Victims have long wanted a voice in discussions and I didn't feel like he was giving us lip service," they stated. "I felt like he was sincere, realistic, and receptive and keen to work with us."
Church Regulations Changes
The group is hoping that changes to canon law will enable the implementation of the strict approach worldwide.
They have consulted experts and compiled documents that they will present to Pope Leo.
"He seemed interested in reviewing it," they noted.
Accountability Highlighted
A recent church-ordered report highlighted the "importance of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or removal of Church leaders or personnel in cases of abuse or negligence."
The document also pointed out that victims repeatedly stressed the "urgent need for bishops and senior officials to be held accountable for inaction and concealment."
Moving Forward
The representative revealed they informed 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, they expressed hope for progress.
"We realise it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the conclusion, coming together and building a relationship and continuing to strengthen that relationship is a move in the right direction," they commented.
They added that they shared with Pope Leo: "Just because it's a difficult period, I feel like we can change how the story concludes - he appreciated that."
