People who endured sexual abuse by church officials have voiced renewed hope after their initial encounter with Pope Leo at the Holy See.
Gemma Hickey, who leads Ending Clergy Abuse, stated that the pontiff's decision to engage with them so soon in his papacy sent a strong message about his dedication to tackling the issue.
Worldwide Zero-Tolerance Policy Advocated
The group is pushing for a global strict approach that would defrock any priest who confesses to or is proven of sexually abusing a child. This policy has been implemented in the United States.
The Pope recognized that there is "resistance in some parts of the world" to this proposal, according to Hickey.
"Everyone was practical when we acknowledged that there is pushback," Hickey remarked.
Inherited Issue
The new Pope, who assumed the position in spring, has inherited this persistent issue that has haunted the Church for decades.
Earlier attempts to resolve the problem included an unprecedented summit 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 global implementation of the measure is personal. The North American activist shared they were abused by a clergy member who was later transferred between various churches.
"We trust this will set the tone for his papacy, because we aim to work with him," they stated. "Both sides share the common objective, we want to end clergy abuse."
Historic Encounter
Multiple members of the organization, which includes victims and advocates from over thirty countries, engaged with the Pontiff in his Vatican office.
The discussion, initially planned for 20 minutes, extended to a full hour, during which the religious leader "mostly listened to us," according to Hickey.
The Pope was described as "very understanding" when hearing the story of a female survivor victimized at a Catholic residential school for Indigenous children in Canada.
Hickey added the leader was "tender" about their personal story and seemed "very humble, funny, and very down to earth."
"Victims 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 genuine, practical, and receptive and keen to collaborate with us."
Church Regulations Reforms
The group is hoping that revisions to church regulations will facilitate the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy globally.
They have spoken with experts and compiled documents that they plan to present to the pontiff.
"He seemed interested in looking at it," Hickey remarked.
Accountability Highlighted
A recent church-ordered report emphasized the "importance of a efficient process for the resignation and/or dismissal of Church leaders or staff in cases of misconduct or failure to act."
The document also noted that survivors consistently emphasized the "urgent need for church leaders and senior officials to be made responsible for inaction and cover-up."
Path Ahead
The representative revealed they told the pontiff at the beginning of their meeting: "This represents as much a risk for him to participate in a conversation as it was for us."
Following the encounter, Hickey expressed optimism for future change.
"We understand it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the end of the day, uniting and building a relationship and persisting to build that relationship is a step in the correct path," Hickey stated.
They concluded that they shared with Pope Leo: "Even though it's a difficult period, I believe like we can change how the story concludes - he valued that."
