People who experienced abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced fresh optimism after their first meeting with Pope Leo at the Holy See.
The board president, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, stated that the Pope's decision to meet with them so soon in his leadership sent a strong message about his commitment to addressing the issue.
Worldwide Strict Approach Pushed
The group is pushing for a worldwide zero-tolerance policy that would permanently remove any priest who confesses to or is found guilty of abusing a child. This approach has been implemented in the US.
The Pontiff recognized that there is "opposition in certain regions of the world" to this proposal, according to Hickey.
"We were all being realistic when we acknowledged that there is pushback," they stated.
Legacy Issue
The new Pope, who took the position in spring, has inherited this persistent issue that has plagued the Catholic Church for decades.
Earlier attempts to address the problem included an unprecedented meeting on child abuse within the Church and revisions to canon law to explicitly criminalize abuse.
Personal Link
For the representative, who prefers they/them pronouns, the campaign for global implementation of the measure is deeply meaningful. The Canadian advocate shared they were victimized by a clergy member who was later transferred between various churches.
"Hopefully this will establish the direction for his papacy, because we aim to collaborate with him," Hickey expressed. "We have the same goal, we want to eliminate clergy abuse."
Significant Meeting
Seven members of the organization, which includes survivors and advocates from over thirty countries, engaged with the Pontiff in his official residence.
The meeting, originally scheduled for a brief period, extended to a full hour, during which the Pope "primarily heard to us," according to the representative.
The Pope was characterized as "very understanding" when hearing the account of a female survivor victimized at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in Canada.
They added the leader was "tender" about their personal story and appeared "modest, funny, and approachable."
"Survivors have long wanted a voice in discussions and I didn't perceive like he was making empty promises," Hickey stated. "I felt like he was genuine, realistic, and very open and eager to collaborate with us."
Canon Law Changes
The group is hoping that revisions to church regulations will enable the adoption of the zero-tolerance policy globally.
They have spoken with specialists and compiled materials that they will present to the pontiff.
"He appeared interested in looking at it," Hickey noted.
Responsibility Emphasized
A recent church-ordered report emphasized the "importance of a efficient process for the resignation and/or removal of Church leaders or personnel in cases of misconduct or failure to act."
The report also noted that survivors repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for bishops and major superiors to be held accountable for inaction and cover-up."
Moving Forward
The representative shared they told the Pope at the start of their meeting: "This is as much a risk for him to participate in a dialogue as it was for us."
After the encounter, Hickey expressed optimism for progress.
"We understand it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the conclusion, coming together and establishing a connection and continuing to strengthen that relationship is a move in the right direction," they commented.
They concluded that they told with the pontiff: "Even though it's a difficult period, I feel like we can alter how the story ends - he appreciated that."
