People who experienced abuse by church officials have voiced fresh optimism after their initial meeting with the new Pope at the Holy See.
Gemma Hickey, who leads Ending Clergy Abuse, stated that the pontiff's choice to engage with them so early in his papacy sent a strong message about his dedication to addressing the issue.
Worldwide Strict Approach Advocated
The organization is advocating for a worldwide zero-tolerance policy that would permanently remove any priest who confesses to or is found guilty of sexually abusing a minor. This approach has already been adopted in the US.
The Pope recognized that there is "opposition in certain regions of the world" to this proposal, according to Hickey.
"Everyone was practical when we acknowledged that there is resistance," Hickey stated.
Inherited Issue
The current pontiff, who assumed the role in May, has inherited this persistent problem that has haunted the Catholic Church for decades.
Previous efforts to resolve the problem included an unprecedented summit on child abuse within the Church and revisions to canon law to clearly outlaw sexual abuse.
Deeply Felt Connection
For Hickey, who prefers they/them pronouns, the campaign for global implementation of the policy is deeply meaningful. The Canadian activist shared they were victimized by a clergy member who was subsequently transferred between different parishes.
"Hopefully this will set the tone for his leadership, because we want to work with him," they expressed. "Both sides share the same goal, we seek to end abuse by religious officials."
Historic Encounter
Multiple members of the organization, which includes survivors and supporters from more than 30 nations, met with the Pope in his Vatican office.
The discussion, originally scheduled for 20 minutes, extended to a sixty minutes, during which the Pope "primarily heard to us," according to Hickey.
The pontiff was described as "very understanding" when listening to the account of a woman victimized at a Catholic residential school for native youth in North America.
Hickey added the Pope was "compassionate" about their own experience and seemed "modest, funny, and very down to earth."
"Survivors have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't feel like he was making empty promises," they commented. "I felt like he was sincere, realistic, and receptive and eager to collaborate with us."
Church Regulations Changes
The organization is hoping that revisions to canon law will enable the adoption of the strict approach worldwide.
They have spoken with specialists and compiled materials that they plan to present to Pope Leo.
"He seemed engaged in reviewing it," they remarked.
Responsibility Emphasized
A recently released Vatican-commissioned report emphasized the "necessity of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or dismissal of Church leaders or staff in cases of misconduct or failure to act."
The report also pointed out that victims consistently emphasized the "critical requirement for bishops and major superiors to be made responsible for inaction and concealment."
Path Ahead
Hickey revealed they informed 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."
Following the encounter, Hickey voiced 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 persisting to strengthen that relationship is a step in the right direction," they commented.
They concluded that they told with Pope Leo: "Even though it's a dark chapter, I believe like we can change how the story concludes - he appreciated that."
