People who experienced abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced renewed hope after their first encounter with Pope Leo at the Holy See.
Gemma Hickey, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, stated that the pontiff's choice to engage with them so early in his papacy sent a strong message about his dedication to addressing the problem.
Worldwide Zero-Tolerance Policy Pushed
The organization is advocating for a worldwide zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any priest who confesses to or is proven of sexually abusing a child. This approach has been implemented in the United States.
The Pontiff recognized that there is "resistance in some parts of the world" to this proposal, according to the representative.
"We were all being realistic when we recognized that there is pushback," they remarked.
Legacy Challenge
The new Pope, who took the role in May, has taken on this persistent problem that has plagued the Catholic Church for decades.
Earlier attempts to resolve the problem included an unprecedented meeting on paedophilia within the institution and changes to church laws to explicitly criminalize sexual abuse.
Deeply Felt Link
For Hickey, who prefers they/them pronouns, the drive for worldwide adoption of the measure is personal. The North American 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 aim to work with him," they expressed. "We have the same goal, we want to eliminate abuse by religious officials."
Historic Encounter
Seven representatives of the organization, which includes survivors and supporters from over thirty nations, met with the Pontiff in his official residence.
The discussion, initially planned for a brief period, lasted to a full hour, during which the religious leader "primarily heard to us," according to Hickey.
The Pope was described as "quite empathetic" when hearing the account of a woman abused at a church-run institution for native youth in North America.
They added the Pope was "compassionate" about their personal experience and seemed "modest, funny, and approachable."
"Survivors have consistently sought a seat at the table and I didn't feel like he was making empty promises," Hickey commented. "I felt like he was sincere, practical, and receptive and keen to work with us."
Canon Law Reforms
The organization is advocating that revisions to canon law will enable the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.
They have spoken with specialists and gathered documents that they will present to Pope Leo.
"He appeared interested in looking at it," they noted.
Accountability Highlighted
A recently released church-ordered document emphasized the "importance of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or dismissal of Church leaders or personnel in cases of misconduct or failure to act."
The report also pointed out that victims consistently emphasized the "urgent need for bishops and major superiors to be held accountable for inaction and concealment."
Moving Forward
Hickey shared they told the pontiff 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 encounter, they voiced optimism for future change.
"We realise it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the conclusion, coming together and building a connection and continuing to build that bond is a move in the right direction," they commented.
Hickey concluded that they shared with the pontiff: "Even though it's a difficult period, I believe like we can alter how the narrative concludes - he appreciated that."
