Individuals who endured sexual abuse by church officials have expressed fresh optimism after their first meeting with the new Pope at the Vatican.
Gemma Hickey, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, stated that the pontiff's decision to meet with them so soon in his papacy sent a strong message about his commitment to tackling the issue.
Global Strict Approach Advocated
The group is advocating for a global strict approach that would permanently remove any priest who confesses to or is found guilty of sexually abusing a child. This policy has been implemented in the US.
The Pontiff acknowledged that there is "resistance in some parts of the globe" to this proposal, according to Hickey.
"Everyone was practical when we recognized that there is resistance," they remarked.
Inherited Issue
The new Pope, who took the role in spring, has inherited this persistent issue that has plagued the Church for many years.
Previous efforts to address the problem included an unprecedented meeting on paedophilia within the Church and changes to church laws to explicitly criminalize sexual abuse.
Deeply Felt Link
For the representative, who prefers they/them pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the measure is deeply meaningful. The North American activist revealed 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 representatives of the coalition, which includes victims and supporters from more than 30 countries, met with the Pontiff in his official residence.
The meeting, initially planned for 20 minutes, lasted to a full hour, during which the Pope "mostly listened to us," according to Hickey.
The pontiff was characterized as "very understanding" when listening to the account of a female survivor victimized at a Catholic residential school for Indigenous children in North America.
They added the Pope was "tender" about their own experience and appeared "very humble, funny, and very down to earth."
"Survivors have consistently sought a seat at the table and I didn't perceive like he was giving us lip service," Hickey commented. "I felt like he was genuine, practical, and very open and eager to work with us."
Canon Law Reforms
The organization is hoping that changes to church regulations will facilitate the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.
They have consulted experts and compiled documents that they will present to the pontiff.
"He seemed interested in reviewing it," Hickey noted.
Responsibility Emphasized
A recent Vatican-commissioned report highlighted the "importance of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or removal of religious officials or staff in cases of abuse or negligence."
The report also noted that survivors repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for bishops and senior officials to be held accountable for negligence and cover-up."
Moving Forward
The representative shared they told the Pope at the beginning of their discussion: "This represents as much a challenge for him to participate in a conversation as it was for us."
Following the encounter, Hickey expressed optimism for future change.
"We realise it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the end of the day, uniting and establishing a connection and continuing to strengthen that relationship is a step in the right direction," Hickey stated.
They added that they shared with Pope Leo: "Even though it's a difficult period, I believe like we can change how the story concludes - he appreciated that."
