People who endured sexual abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced renewed hope after their first meeting with the new Pope at the Vatican.
Gemma Hickey, who leads the anti-abuse organization, stated that the Pope's decision to engage with them so early in his leadership sent a strong message about his dedication to addressing the issue.
Worldwide Strict Approach Advocated
The group is pushing for a worldwide zero-tolerance policy that would permanently remove any clergy member who confesses to or is found guilty of sexually abusing a minor. This approach has been implemented in the US.
The Pontiff recognized that there is "opposition in some parts of the world" to this initiative, according to the representative.
"We were all being realistic when we acknowledged that there is resistance," they stated.
Legacy Issue
The current pontiff, who took the position in May, has taken on this longstanding issue that has haunted the Catholic Church for many years.
Earlier attempts to resolve the situation included an historic meeting on paedophilia within the Church and changes to canon law to clearly outlaw sexual abuse.
Personal Connection
For the representative, who prefers they/them pronouns, the drive for worldwide adoption of the measure is personal. The Canadian activist shared they were abused by a clergy member who was subsequently moved between different parishes.
"We trust this will establish the direction for his leadership, because we want to work with him," they expressed. "Both sides share the same goal, we seek to eliminate abuse by religious officials."
Historic Encounter
Seven representatives of the coalition, which represents survivors and supporters from over thirty countries, engaged with the Pope in his official residence.
The discussion, initially planned for a brief period, extended to a full hour, during which the religious leader "mostly listened to us," according to Hickey.
The pontiff was described as "quite empathetic" when listening to the story of a female survivor abused at a church-run institution for native youth in Canada.
They added the Pope was "tender" about their personal experience and appeared "very humble, humorous, and approachable."
"Survivors have long wanted a voice in discussions and I didn't perceive like he was giving us lip service," they stated. "I felt like he was genuine, realistic, and very open and keen to work with us."
Canon Law Reforms
The group is hoping that changes to church regulations will facilitate the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.
They have spoken with specialists and compiled documents that they plan to present to Pope Leo.
"He appeared engaged in reviewing it," they remarked.
Accountability Emphasized
A recent church-ordered document highlighted the "importance of a efficient process for the resignation and/or removal of religious officials or staff in cases of misconduct or failure to act."
The report also pointed out that survivors repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for church leaders and major superiors to be made responsible for inaction and cover-up."
Moving Forward
The representative shared 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, Hickey expressed optimism for future change.
"We understand it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the end of the day, coming together and establishing a relationship and persisting to build that relationship is a step in the right direction," they commented.
Hickey added that they shared with Pope Leo: "Just because it's a difficult period, I believe like we can alter how the narrative concludes - he appreciated that."
