People who experienced sexual abuse by church officials have voiced renewed hope following their first meeting with the new Pope at the Vatican.
The board president, who leads Ending Clergy Abuse, commented that the pontiff's decision to meet with them so soon in his leadership spoke volumes about his dedication to addressing the problem.
Worldwide Strict Policy Pushed
The group is pushing for a global zero-tolerance policy that would permanently remove any clergy member who confesses to or is proven of abusing a minor. This policy has already been adopted in the US.
The Pontiff recognized that there is "resistance in certain regions of the globe" to this initiative, according to Hickey.
"Everyone was practical when we acknowledged that there is pushback," Hickey remarked.
Legacy Challenge
The new Pope, who assumed the role in spring, has inherited this persistent problem that has haunted the Catholic Church for decades.
Earlier attempts to resolve the problem included an unprecedented summit on child abuse within the institution and changes to canon law to explicitly criminalize abuse.
Personal Connection
For Hickey, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the measure is personal. The Canadian activist shared they were victimized by a clergy member who was subsequently moved between various churches.
"We trust this will establish the direction for his leadership, because we want to collaborate with him," they stated. "Both sides share the common objective, we want to eliminate clergy abuse."
Significant Meeting
Multiple members of the organization, which includes survivors and supporters from over thirty countries, met with the Pope in his Vatican office.
The meeting, initially planned for 20 minutes, extended to a full hour, during which the religious leader "mostly listened to us," according to the representative.
The Pope was characterized as "very understanding" when hearing the account of a female survivor victimized at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in Canada.
Hickey noted the leader was "tender" about their personal experience and seemed "modest, funny, and approachable."
"Victims have long wanted a voice in discussions and I didn't perceive like he was giving us lip service," they stated. "I believed like he was sincere, realistic, and very open and eager to work with us."
Canon Law Reforms
The organization is hoping that revisions to canon law will facilitate the implementation of the strict approach worldwide.
They have consulted specialists and compiled materials that they will submit to Pope Leo.
"He seemed engaged in reviewing it," they remarked.
Accountability Emphasized
A recent church-ordered document highlighted the "necessity of a efficient process for the stepping down and/or dismissal of Church leaders or personnel in cases of abuse or failure to act."
The document also pointed out that survivors repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for bishops and major superiors 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 engage in a dialogue as it was for us."
After the meeting, they expressed hope 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 establishing a connection and continuing to build that bond is a move in the correct path," Hickey commented.
They concluded that they shared with the pontiff: "Just because it's a difficult period, I believe like we can change how the narrative ends - he appreciated that."
