People who endured sexual abuse by church officials have expressed fresh optimism following their first meeting with Pope Leo at the Vatican.
Gemma Hickey, who leads the anti-abuse organization, commented that the pontiff's decision to engage with them so early in his leadership spoke volumes about his commitment to tackling the problem.
Worldwide Zero-Tolerance Approach Pushed
The organization is pushing for a worldwide strict approach that would permanently remove any clergy member who admits to or is proven of abusing a minor. This policy has been implemented in the US.
The Pontiff recognized that there is "opposition in certain regions of the world" to this initiative, according to the representative.
"We were all being realistic when we acknowledged that there is resistance," they stated.
Legacy Issue
The current pontiff, who took the role in spring, has taken on this persistent problem that has haunted the Church for decades.
Earlier attempts to resolve the problem included an unprecedented meeting on paedophilia within the Church and changes to canon law to clearly outlaw abuse.
Deeply Felt Link
For the representative, who prefers they/them pronouns, the drive for global implementation 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 collaborate with him," Hickey stated. "We have the same goal, we seek to end abuse by religious officials."
Historic Encounter
Seven representatives of the coalition, which includes victims and supporters from more than 30 countries, engaged with the Pope in his Vatican office.
The discussion, originally scheduled for 20 minutes, lasted to a full hour, during which the religious leader "mostly listened to us," according to Hickey.
The Pope was characterized as "quite empathetic" when hearing the story of a woman abused at a church-run institution for native youth in North America.
They added the Pope was "tender" about their personal story and seemed "very humble, humorous, and approachable."
"Survivors have consistently sought a seat at the table and I didn't perceive like he was making empty promises," Hickey commented. "I believed like he was sincere, practical, and receptive and keen to work with us."
Canon Law Changes
The organization is advocating that changes to canon law will facilitate the implementation of the strict approach worldwide.
They have spoken with specialists and compiled materials that they plan to present to Pope Leo.
"He appeared interested in looking at it," they noted.
Accountability Emphasized
A recently released church-ordered document highlighted the "necessity of a streamlined protocol for the resignation and/or dismissal of religious officials or personnel in cases of misconduct or failure to act."
The report also noted that victims repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for bishops and senior officials to be held accountable for negligence and cover-up."
Path Ahead
The representative shared they informed the pontiff at the beginning of their discussion: "This represents as much a risk for him to participate in a dialogue as it was for us."
After the meeting, Hickey voiced optimism for future change.
"We understand it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the end of the day, coming together and building a relationship and continuing to strengthen that relationship is a move in the correct path," Hickey commented.
Hickey added that they told with Pope Leo: "Just because it's a difficult period, I feel like we can change how the narrative ends - he valued that."
