People who endured sexual abuse by Catholic clergy have expressed renewed hope following their initial meeting with Pope Leo at the Vatican.
The board president, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, commented that the Pope's choice to engage with them so early in his papacy sent a strong message about his commitment to addressing the issue.
Global Strict Approach Pushed
The group is pushing for a global zero-tolerance policy that would permanently remove any clergy member who confesses to or is found guilty of abusing a child. This policy has already been adopted in the United States.
The Pope recognized that there is "resistance in some parts of the globe" to this initiative, according to the representative.
"We were all being realistic when we acknowledged that there is pushback," Hickey remarked.
Inherited Issue
The current pontiff, who took the role in May, has taken on this persistent issue that has plagued the Catholic Church for many years.
Previous efforts to resolve the situation included an historic summit on paedophilia within the Church and revisions to canon law to explicitly criminalize sexual abuse.
Personal Link
For the representative, who prefers they/them pronouns, the campaign for global implementation of the measure is deeply meaningful. The North American advocate shared they were abused by a clergy member who was subsequently moved between various churches.
"We trust this will set the tone for his papacy, because we aim to collaborate with him," they expressed. "Both sides share the same goal, we want to eliminate clergy abuse."
Historic Meeting
Seven members of the coalition, which represents victims and supporters from more than 30 countries, engaged with the Pope in his official residence.
The meeting, initially planned for 20 minutes, extended 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 story of a woman victimized at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in North America.
Hickey added the Pope was "tender" about their personal experience and appeared "very humble, humorous, and very down to earth."
"Victims have consistently sought a seat at the table and I didn't feel like he was making empty promises," Hickey commented. "I believed like he was sincere, practical, and receptive and eager to work with us."
Canon Law Changes
The group is advocating that revisions to church regulations will facilitate the adoption of the strict approach worldwide.
They have consulted specialists and gathered materials that they plan to submit to Pope Leo.
"He seemed interested in reviewing it," they noted.
Accountability Emphasized
A recently released Vatican-commissioned document emphasized the "importance of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or dismissal of religious officials or personnel in cases of abuse or negligence."
The report also noted that victims repeatedly stressed the "urgent need for bishops and major superiors to be held accountable for inaction and concealment."
Moving Forward
The representative revealed they informed the pontiff at the beginning of their discussion: "This is as much a challenge for him to engage in a conversation as it was for us."
Following the meeting, they voiced hope 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 establishing a relationship and persisting to build that relationship is a move in the correct path," they stated.
They added that they told with Pope Leo: "Even though it's a difficult period, I feel like we can change how the narrative ends - he appreciated that."
