People who experienced sexual abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced renewed hope after their first meeting with the new Pope at the Holy See.
Gemma Hickey, heading the anti-abuse organization, stated that the pontiff's decision to engage with them so early in his papacy spoke volumes about his commitment to tackling the issue.
Worldwide Strict Policy Pushed
The group is pushing for a global zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any clergy member who confesses to or is found guilty of abusing a child. This policy has been implemented in the United States.
The Pope recognized that there is "resistance in certain regions of the world" to this proposal, according to the representative.
"We were all being realistic when we acknowledged that there is resistance," Hickey stated.
Inherited Issue
The current pontiff, who assumed the role in spring, has taken on this longstanding issue that has plagued the Catholic Church for decades.
Previous efforts to resolve the problem included an unprecedented meeting on paedophilia within the institution and changes to church laws to explicitly criminalize sexual abuse.
Personal Connection
For the representative, who prefers they/them pronouns, the drive for worldwide adoption of the measure is deeply meaningful. The North American advocate shared they were abused by a priest who was subsequently transferred between various churches.
"We trust this will establish the direction for his papacy, because we want to work with him," they stated. "Both sides share the same goal, we want to end clergy abuse."
Historic Meeting
Seven members of the organization, which includes survivors and supporters from over thirty nations, met with the Pontiff in his Vatican office.
The discussion, originally scheduled for 20 minutes, 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 account of a female survivor victimized at a Catholic residential school for Indigenous children in Canada.
Hickey added the Pope was "compassionate" about their own experience and seemed "very humble, humorous, and very down to earth."
"Victims have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't perceive like he was making empty promises," Hickey commented. "I believed like he was sincere, practical, and receptive and keen to work with us."
Church Regulations Changes
The group is hoping that changes to church regulations will enable the adoption of the strict approach worldwide.
They have consulted specialists and gathered documents that they will submit to Pope Leo.
"He seemed interested in looking at it," they noted.
Accountability Emphasized
A recent church-ordered document highlighted the "importance of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or dismissal of religious officials or staff in cases of abuse or negligence."
The report also pointed out that victims repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for church leaders and senior officials to be held accountable for inaction and concealment."
Moving Forward
Hickey revealed they informed the pontiff at the start of their meeting: "This is as much a risk for him to engage in a dialogue as it was for us."
After the encounter, Hickey expressed optimism for future change.
"We realise it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the conclusion, coming together and building a relationship and continuing to build that bond is a step in the right direction," they commented.
They added that they shared with the pontiff: "Just because it's a difficult period, I feel like we can change how the story concludes - he appreciated that."
