People who experienced abuse by church officials have expressed fresh optimism after their initial meeting with Pope Leo at the Holy See.
The board president, heading the anti-abuse organization, stated that the pontiff's choice to engage with them so early in his papacy sent a strong message about his commitment to tackling the issue.
Global Zero-Tolerance Policy Advocated
The organization is advocating for a global strict approach that would defrock any priest who admits to or is found guilty of abusing a child. This approach has already been adopted in the US.
The Pontiff recognized that there is "opposition in some parts of the world" to this proposal, according to the representative.
"We were all being realistic when we recognized that there is resistance," they remarked.
Legacy Issue
The new Pope, who took the role in May, has taken on this persistent problem that has plagued the Catholic Church for many years.
Earlier attempts to resolve the situation included an historic summit on paedophilia within the institution and revisions to canon law to clearly outlaw sexual abuse.
Deeply Felt Connection
For the representative, who prefers gender-neutral pronouns, the campaign for worldwide adoption of the measure is personal. The North American activist revealed they were victimized by a clergy member who was subsequently transferred between different parishes.
"Hopefully this will establish the direction for his leadership, because we aim to collaborate with him," Hickey stated. "Both sides share the same goal, we seek to eliminate abuse by religious officials."
Significant Meeting
Seven representatives of the coalition, which includes survivors and supporters from over thirty nations, met with the Pontiff in his official residence.
The discussion, initially planned for 20 minutes, lasted 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 woman victimized at a Catholic residential school for Indigenous children in North America.
They noted the Pope was "tender" about their personal story and seemed "modest, humorous, and approachable."
"Survivors have long wanted a voice in discussions and I didn't feel like he was giving us lip service," they stated. "I believed like he was genuine, practical, and receptive and keen to collaborate with us."
Canon Law Reforms
The organization is advocating that changes to canon law will facilitate the implementation of the strict approach globally.
They have consulted experts and compiled materials that they will present to Pope Leo.
"He appeared engaged in looking at it," they remarked.
Responsibility Emphasized
A recently released church-ordered document highlighted the "necessity of a efficient process for the resignation and/or removal of Church leaders or staff in cases of abuse or negligence."
The document also noted that victims consistently emphasized the "urgent need for church leaders and major superiors to be made responsible for negligence and concealment."
Moving Forward
Hickey revealed they informed the pontiff at the start of their discussion: "This is as much a challenge for him to participate in a conversation as it was for us."
Following the meeting, they 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 building a connection and continuing to strengthen that bond is a step in the correct path," they commented.
They added that they told with Pope Leo: "Just because it's a dark chapter, I believe like we can alter how the story concludes - he valued that."
