Individuals who endured abuse by church officials have voiced fresh optimism after their first meeting with the new Pope at the Holy See.
Gemma Hickey, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, stated that the pontiff's decision to meet with them so soon in his leadership sent a strong message about his dedication to addressing the problem.
Worldwide Strict Approach Pushed
The group is advocating for a worldwide strict approach that would permanently remove any clergy member who admits to or is found guilty of abusing a minor. This approach has been implemented in the US.
The Pope acknowledged that there is "opposition in some parts of the world" to this initiative, according to the representative.
"Everyone was practical when we acknowledged that there is resistance," they remarked.
Legacy Challenge
The current pontiff, who took the position in May, has inherited this persistent problem that has plagued the Church for decades.
Earlier attempts to resolve the problem included an unprecedented summit on paedophilia within the Church and revisions to church laws to clearly outlaw abuse.
Deeply Felt Connection
For Hickey, who uses they/them pronouns, the campaign for worldwide adoption of the measure is personal. The North American advocate shared they were abused by a priest who was later moved between various churches.
"We trust this will establish the direction for his papacy, because we aim to work with him," Hickey expressed. "We have the same goal, we want to end clergy abuse."
Significant Meeting
Multiple members of the organization, which includes victims and advocates from over thirty countries, met with the Pope in his official residence.
The discussion, initially planned for 20 minutes, lasted to a full hour, during which the Pope "mostly listened to us," according to the representative.
The pontiff was described as "quite empathetic" when hearing the account of a woman abused at a Catholic residential school for native youth in Canada.
Hickey noted the Pope was "tender" about their personal experience and appeared "modest, humorous, and approachable."
"Survivors have long wanted a voice in discussions and I didn't feel like he was making empty promises," Hickey stated. "I believed like he was genuine, practical, and very open and eager to work with us."
Canon Law Reforms
The group is hoping that changes to church regulations will facilitate the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.
They have consulted specialists and gathered documents that they plan to submit to Pope Leo.
"He seemed engaged in looking at it," they remarked.
Responsibility Emphasized
A recent church-ordered document emphasized the "importance of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or removal of religious officials or staff in cases of abuse or failure to act."
The document also pointed out that victims repeatedly stressed the "urgent need for bishops and major superiors to be held accountable for negligence and cover-up."
Path Ahead
Hickey shared they informed the pontiff at the beginning of their discussion: "This represents as much a risk for him to participate in a conversation as it was for us."
After the encounter, Hickey voiced optimism for progress.
"We understand it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the conclusion, coming together and establishing a connection and persisting to build that relationship is a step in the right direction," Hickey stated.
They added that they told with Pope Leo: "Just because it's a dark chapter, I believe like we can alter how the narrative concludes - he appreciated that."
