Individuals who endured abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced renewed hope after their initial meeting with Pope Leo at the Holy See.
The board president, heading the anti-abuse organization, stated that the Pope's decision to meet with them so soon in his leadership sent a strong message about his dedication to tackling the issue.
Worldwide Zero-Tolerance Approach Advocated
The group is advocating for a worldwide zero-tolerance policy that would permanently remove any clergy member who confesses to or is found guilty of abusing a child. This policy has been implemented in the United States.
The Pope acknowledged that there is "resistance in some parts of the globe" to this initiative, according to the representative.
"Everyone was practical when we recognized that there is resistance," Hickey remarked.
Legacy Issue
The current pontiff, who took the role in May, has taken on this persistent issue that has haunted the Catholic Church for many years.
Earlier attempts to address the problem included an unprecedented summit on child abuse within the institution and changes to canon law to clearly outlaw abuse.
Deeply Felt Link
For Hickey, who uses they/them pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the measure is deeply meaningful. The Canadian activist revealed they were abused by a clergy member who was later moved between different parishes.
"Hopefully this will set the tone for his papacy, because we want to collaborate with him," they expressed. "Both sides share the same goal, we want to eliminate clergy abuse."
Significant Encounter
Seven representatives of the coalition, which includes victims and advocates from over thirty nations, met with the Pontiff in his official residence.
The meeting, initially planned for 20 minutes, extended to a sixty minutes, during which the religious leader "primarily heard to us," according to the representative.
The Pope was described as "very understanding" when listening to the story of a female survivor abused at a church-run institution for native youth in North America.
They added the leader was "compassionate" about their own story and appeared "very humble, humorous, and approachable."
"Victims have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't perceive like he was giving us lip service," Hickey stated. "I believed like he was sincere, 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 spoken with experts and compiled materials that they will submit to Pope Leo.
"He appeared engaged in reviewing it," Hickey remarked.
Accountability Emphasized
A recent church-ordered report emphasized the "importance of a streamlined protocol for the resignation and/or dismissal of Church leaders or personnel in cases of abuse or negligence."
The document also noted that survivors consistently emphasized the "critical requirement for church leaders and senior officials to be held accountable for negligence and cover-up."
Moving Forward
The representative shared they informed the Pope at the start of their discussion: "This represents as much a challenge for him to engage in a conversation as it was for us."
Following the encounter, Hickey expressed hope for future change.
"We understand it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the conclusion, uniting and building a connection and continuing to strengthen that relationship is a step in the right direction," Hickey stated.
They concluded that they shared with the pontiff: "Just because it's a dark chapter, I believe like we can change how the narrative ends - he valued that."
