People who endured abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced fresh optimism following their first meeting with the new Pope at the Vatican.
The board president, heading the anti-abuse organization, stated that the pontiff's decision to meet with them so soon in his leadership spoke volumes about his dedication to tackling the issue.
Global Zero-Tolerance Policy Advocated
The group is advocating for a global zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any clergy member who admits to or is found guilty of sexually abusing a minor. This approach has been implemented in the United States.
The Pope recognized that there is "opposition in some parts of the globe" to this proposal, according to Hickey.
"Everyone was practical when we recognized that there is resistance," Hickey stated.
Inherited Issue
The current pontiff, who took the position in May, has inherited this longstanding issue that has plagued the Catholic Church for decades.
Earlier attempts to resolve the situation included an unprecedented summit on child abuse within the institution and revisions to canon law to explicitly criminalize sexual abuse.
Personal Connection
For Hickey, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for worldwide adoption of the policy is personal. The Canadian activist shared they were abused by a clergy member who was subsequently transferred between various churches.
"Hopefully this will establish the direction for his papacy, because we want to collaborate with him," they stated. "Both sides share the same goal, we want to end abuse by religious officials."
Historic Meeting
Seven members of the organization, which represents victims and supporters from over thirty countries, engaged with the Pope in his Vatican office.
The meeting, originally scheduled for a brief period, extended to a full hour, during which the religious leader "mostly listened to us," according to the representative.
The Pope was described as "very understanding" when hearing the story of a woman abused at a Catholic residential school for native youth in North America.
They noted the Pope was "tender" about their personal story and appeared "very humble, humorous, and approachable."
"Survivors have long wanted a seat at the table and I didn't perceive like he was making empty promises," they commented. "I felt like he was genuine, realistic, and receptive and eager to collaborate with us."
Canon Law Changes
The organization is advocating that changes to church regulations will enable the adoption of the strict approach globally.
They have consulted specialists and compiled materials that they plan to present to Pope Leo.
"He seemed interested in looking at it," they remarked.
Accountability Emphasized
A recently released Vatican-commissioned report emphasized the "importance of a efficient process for the resignation and/or removal of religious officials or staff in cases of abuse or failure to act."
The document also noted that victims consistently emphasized the "critical requirement for bishops and senior officials to be held accountable for negligence and cover-up."
Moving Forward
The representative revealed they told the Pope at the start of their discussion: "This represents as much a challenge for him to engage in a dialogue as it was for us."
Following the encounter, they expressed hope for progress.
"We realise it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the end of the day, coming together and building a relationship and persisting to strengthen that bond is a step in the right direction," they commented.
Hickey added that they shared with the pontiff: "Even though it's a dark chapter, I believe like we can alter how the story concludes - he appreciated that."
