Individuals who experienced abuse by church officials have expressed fresh optimism after their initial encounter with Pope Leo at the Vatican.
Gemma Hickey, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, stated that the pontiff's decision to meet with them so early in his leadership sent a strong message about his dedication to tackling the issue.
Worldwide Zero-Tolerance Policy Pushed
The group is pushing for a worldwide zero-tolerance policy that would permanently remove any clergy member who admits to or is proven of sexually abusing a minor. This policy has been implemented in the United States.
The Pope acknowledged that there is "resistance in some parts of the world" to this proposal, according to Hickey.
"We were all being realistic when we recognized that there is resistance," they stated.
Inherited Challenge
The current pontiff, who took the role in spring, has inherited this longstanding issue that has haunted the Church for decades.
Previous efforts to resolve the problem included an historic meeting on paedophilia within the institution and changes to canon law to explicitly criminalize abuse.
Personal Link
For Hickey, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the policy is personal. The Canadian advocate shared they were victimized by a priest who was subsequently transferred between different parishes.
"We trust this will set the tone for his leadership, because we aim to work with him," they stated. "We have the common objective, we want to eliminate clergy abuse."
Historic Meeting
Seven members of the coalition, which represents victims and supporters from more than 30 countries, met with the Pope in his Vatican office.
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 "very understanding" when listening to the account of a woman abused at a church-run institution for native youth in Canada.
They noted the Pope was "tender" about their own experience and appeared "very humble, humorous, and approachable."
"Survivors have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't feel like he was making empty promises," they stated. "I believed like he was genuine, realistic, and receptive and eager to collaborate with us."
Church Regulations Changes
The organization is advocating that revisions to canon law will enable the implementation of the strict approach worldwide.
They have spoken with experts and gathered materials that they will submit to Pope Leo.
"He appeared interested in looking at it," Hickey remarked.
Responsibility Emphasized
A recent church-ordered report highlighted the "importance of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or dismissal of Church leaders or staff in cases of abuse or negligence."
The report also pointed out that survivors repeatedly stressed the "urgent need for bishops and senior officials to be held accountable for negligence and cover-up."
Moving Forward
The representative revealed they informed the Pope at the beginning of their discussion: "This is as much a challenge for him to participate in a conversation as it was for us."
Following the encounter, Hickey voiced hope for progress.
"We realise 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 build that bond is a move in the right direction," they stated.
Hickey concluded that they told with Pope Leo: "Just because it's a dark chapter, I believe like we can alter how the story ends - he appreciated that."
