Individuals who endured sexual abuse by church officials have expressed fresh optimism following their initial meeting with the new Pope at the Vatican.
The board president, heading the anti-abuse organization, commented that the Pope's decision to engage with them so soon in his papacy spoke volumes about his commitment to tackling the issue.
Global Strict Approach Advocated
The group is advocating for a global zero-tolerance policy that would permanently remove any priest who confesses to or is proven of sexually abusing a minor. This policy has been implemented in the US.
The Pontiff recognized that there is "opposition in certain regions of the world" to this proposal, according to the representative.
"We were all being realistic when we acknowledged that there is pushback," they stated.
Legacy Challenge
The new Pope, who took the position in May, has inherited this longstanding issue that has haunted the Church for many years.
Earlier attempts to address the problem included an historic summit on paedophilia within the Church and revisions to canon law to explicitly criminalize sexual abuse.
Deeply Felt Link
For Hickey, who prefers gender-neutral pronouns, the campaign for worldwide adoption of the policy is personal. The North American advocate revealed they were abused by a priest who was subsequently transferred between different parishes.
"Hopefully this will set the tone for his papacy, because we aim to collaborate with him," Hickey stated. "Both sides share the common objective, we seek to eliminate abuse by religious officials."
Significant Meeting
Multiple members of the coalition, which includes victims and advocates from over thirty countries, engaged with the Pontiff in his Vatican office.
The meeting, initially planned for a brief period, lasted to a sixty minutes, during which the Pope "mostly listened to us," according to Hickey.
The pontiff was characterized as "very understanding" when hearing the account of a woman abused at a church-run institution for native youth in Canada.
Hickey added the Pope was "compassionate" about their personal story and seemed "modest, funny, and approachable."
"Survivors have consistently sought a seat at the table 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 collaborate with us."
Church Regulations Changes
The group is hoping that changes to church regulations will enable the adoption of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.
They have spoken with experts and gathered materials that they will submit to Pope Leo.
"He appeared interested in looking at it," Hickey noted.
Accountability Emphasized
A recent church-ordered document emphasized the "importance of a efficient process for the stepping down and/or removal of Church leaders or staff in cases of abuse or failure to act."
The document also noted that victims repeatedly stressed the "urgent need for bishops and major superiors to be held accountable for negligence and cover-up."
Path Ahead
Hickey revealed they told the Pope at the start of their meeting: "This represents as much a risk for him to participate in a conversation as it was for us."
After the meeting, Hickey voiced optimism for future change.
"We understand it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the conclusion, coming together and building a connection and persisting to build that bond is a step in the right direction," Hickey commented.
Hickey added that they told with the pontiff: "Just because it's a dark chapter, I feel like we can alter how the story ends - he appreciated that."
