Individuals who experienced sexual abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced fresh optimism after their first meeting with the new Pope at the Vatican.
Gemma Hickey, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, commented that the Pope's decision to engage with them so early in his leadership sent a strong message about his dedication to tackling the problem.
Global Strict Policy Advocated
The organization is pushing for a global zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any clergy member who confesses to or is proven of sexually abusing a minor. This approach has been implemented in the United States.
The Pontiff recognized that there is "resistance in some parts of the globe" to this proposal, according to the representative.
"We were all being realistic when we recognized that there is resistance," Hickey stated.
Legacy Issue
The new Pope, who assumed the role in spring, has inherited this persistent issue that has plagued the Catholic Church for many years.
Earlier attempts to resolve the problem included an historic summit on paedophilia within the Church and changes to church laws to clearly outlaw sexual abuse.
Deeply Felt Link
For the representative, who prefers they/them pronouns, the campaign for global implementation of the measure is deeply meaningful. The North American activist shared they were abused by a clergy member who was later moved between various churches.
"We trust this will set the tone for his leadership, because we aim to collaborate with him," they stated. "We have the common objective, we want to end clergy abuse."
Historic Meeting
Multiple members of the coalition, which includes victims and supporters from over thirty countries, engaged with the Pope in his Vatican office.
The meeting, initially planned for 20 minutes, lasted to a sixty minutes, during which the Pope "mostly listened to us," according to Hickey.
The Pope was described as "very understanding" when listening to the story of a female survivor abused at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in Canada.
Hickey noted the leader was "tender" about their personal experience and appeared "modest, humorous, and approachable."
"Victims have long wanted a seat at the table and I didn't perceive like he was giving us lip service," they commented. "I felt like he was genuine, practical, and very open and keen to work with us."
Canon Law Reforms
The organization is advocating that revisions to church regulations will facilitate the implementation of the strict approach globally.
They have consulted experts and gathered documents that they will present to Pope Leo.
"He appeared interested in looking at it," Hickey remarked.
Responsibility Emphasized
A recent church-ordered document highlighted the "necessity of a efficient process for the resignation and/or removal of religious officials or staff in cases of abuse or negligence."
The report also noted that survivors consistently emphasized the "critical requirement for bishops and major superiors to be made responsible for inaction and concealment."
Moving Forward
Hickey shared they told the pontiff at the beginning of their meeting: "This represents as much a risk for him to participate in a dialogue as it was for us."
After the meeting, Hickey voiced optimism for progress.
"We realise it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the end of the day, uniting and establishing a relationship and continuing to strengthen that bond is a move in the right direction," Hickey commented.
Hickey added that they shared with Pope Leo: "Just because it's a difficult period, I feel like we can change how the narrative ends - he appreciated that."
