People who experienced abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced fresh optimism following their first meeting with Pope Leo at the Holy See.
The board president, heading the anti-abuse organization, stated that the pontiff's decision to meet with them so soon in his papacy spoke volumes about his commitment to addressing the problem.
Global Zero-Tolerance Approach Pushed
The group is advocating for a worldwide zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any priest who confesses to or is found guilty of abusing a minor. This approach has already been adopted in the US.
The Pontiff acknowledged that there is "opposition in certain regions of the world" to this initiative, according to Hickey.
"Everyone was practical when we recognized that there is resistance," Hickey remarked.
Legacy Issue
The new Pope, who took the position in May, has inherited this persistent issue that has plagued the Catholic Church for decades.
Earlier attempts to address the situation included an historic summit on child abuse within the institution and revisions to canon law to clearly outlaw abuse.
Personal Connection
For Hickey, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for worldwide adoption of the policy is deeply meaningful. The North American activist shared they were victimized by a priest who was subsequently moved between different parishes.
"Hopefully this will establish the direction for his papacy, because we aim to work with him," they expressed. "We have the common objective, we seek to eliminate clergy abuse."
Historic Meeting
Seven members of the coalition, which represents victims and supporters from over thirty nations, met with the Pope in his Vatican office.
The meeting, initially planned for a brief period, extended to a full hour, during which the religious leader "mostly listened to us," according to the representative.
The pontiff was characterized as "very understanding" when listening to the story of a female survivor victimized at a church-run institution for native youth in North America.
They added the Pope was "compassionate" about their own experience and seemed "very humble, funny, and very down to earth."
"Survivors have consistently sought a seat at the table and I didn't perceive like he was giving us lip service," they commented. "I felt like he was sincere, practical, and receptive and keen to collaborate with us."
Church Regulations Changes
The group is advocating that changes to church regulations will enable the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy globally.
They have consulted experts and gathered materials that they plan to present to Pope Leo.
"He seemed engaged in looking at it," Hickey remarked.
Responsibility Highlighted
A recently released Vatican-commissioned report emphasized the "importance of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or dismissal of Church leaders or staff in cases of abuse or failure to act."
The report also pointed out that survivors repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for bishops and senior officials to be held accountable for inaction and cover-up."
Path Ahead
The representative shared they told the Pope at the beginning of their discussion: "This is as much a risk for him to participate in a conversation as it was for us."
After the encounter, they expressed hope for future change.
"We realise it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the conclusion, uniting and establishing a relationship and continuing to build that bond is a move in the right direction," Hickey commented.
They added that they told with the pontiff: "Just because it's a difficult period, I believe like we can change how the story ends - he appreciated that."
