People who experienced sexual abuse by church officials have voiced renewed hope after their first meeting with Pope Leo at the Holy See.
The board president, who leads Ending Clergy Abuse, commented that the pontiff's decision to meet with them so soon in his papacy sent a strong message about his dedication to addressing the problem.
Worldwide Zero-Tolerance Approach Pushed
The group is advocating for a global strict approach that would defrock any priest who confesses to or is found guilty of sexually abusing a child. This policy has been implemented in the US.
The Pope recognized that there is "resistance in some parts of the globe" to this proposal, according to the representative.
"Everyone was practical when we recognized that there is pushback," Hickey stated.
Legacy Issue
The current pontiff, who took the position in spring, has inherited this persistent problem that has plagued the Church for many years.
Earlier attempts to address the problem included an historic summit on paedophilia within the Church and revisions to church laws to explicitly criminalize abuse.
Personal Link
For Hickey, who prefers they/them pronouns, the drive for worldwide adoption of the measure is deeply meaningful. The North American activist revealed they were victimized by a clergy member who was subsequently transferred between different parishes.
"We trust this will set the tone for his papacy, because we want to collaborate with him," they expressed. "We have the common objective, we want to eliminate abuse by religious officials."
Historic Encounter
Multiple representatives of the organization, which represents survivors and advocates from over thirty countries, met with the Pontiff in his official residence.
The discussion, initially planned for 20 minutes, extended to a full hour, during which the Pope "primarily heard to us," according to Hickey.
The pontiff was described as "quite empathetic" when listening to the story of a female survivor abused at a Catholic residential school for Indigenous children in Canada.
They added the leader was "tender" about their personal experience and seemed "very humble, humorous, and approachable."
"Survivors have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't perceive like he was making empty promises," Hickey stated. "I believed like he was genuine, practical, and receptive and keen to work with us."
Canon Law Reforms
The group is advocating that revisions to church regulations will enable the adoption of the strict approach worldwide.
They have spoken with specialists and gathered materials that they plan to present to Pope Leo.
"He appeared interested in reviewing it," they noted.
Responsibility Highlighted
A recently released church-ordered document highlighted the "importance of a efficient process for the stepping down and/or dismissal of Church leaders or staff in cases of misconduct or negligence."
The report also noted that survivors consistently emphasized the "critical requirement for bishops and senior officials to be held accountable for negligence and concealment."
Moving Forward
The representative revealed they told the Pope at the beginning of their discussion: "This is as much a risk for him to engage in a dialogue as it was for us."
After the meeting, they voiced hope for future change.
"We understand it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the end of the day, uniting and establishing a connection and continuing to build that relationship is a step in the correct path," Hickey commented.
Hickey added that they shared with Pope Leo: "Even though it's a difficult period, I believe like we can alter how the story concludes - he appreciated that."
