People who experienced sexual abuse by Catholic clergy have expressed fresh optimism following their initial encounter with Pope Leo at the Holy See.
The board president, heading the anti-abuse organization, stated that the pontiff's choice to engage with them so soon in his leadership sent a strong message about his commitment to tackling the issue.
Global Strict Approach Advocated
The group is pushing for a worldwide zero-tolerance policy that would permanently remove any priest who admits to or is found guilty of abusing a minor. This approach has been implemented in the US.
The Pontiff acknowledged that there is "opposition in some parts of the world" to this proposal, according to the representative.
"Everyone was practical when we acknowledged that there is pushback," Hickey stated.
Inherited Issue
The current pontiff, who took the position in May, has taken on this longstanding issue that has haunted the Catholic Church for many years.
Earlier attempts to address the situation included an historic meeting on paedophilia within the institution and revisions to canon law to clearly outlaw sexual abuse.
Deeply Felt Link
For Hickey, who prefers they/them pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the policy is personal. The North American activist revealed 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 want to work with him," they expressed. "We have the common objective, we want to eliminate abuse by religious officials."
Historic Encounter
Seven representatives of the coalition, which includes survivors and supporters from over thirty countries, met with the Pope in his official residence.
The discussion, originally scheduled for a brief period, lasted to a full hour, during which the religious leader "mostly listened to us," according to Hickey.
The pontiff was characterized as "quite empathetic" when hearing the story of a female survivor abused at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in North America.
Hickey noted the Pope was "tender" about their own experience and seemed "modest, funny, and very down to earth."
"Victims have long wanted a voice in discussions and I didn't feel like he was giving us lip service," they stated. "I believed like he was genuine, practical, and receptive and keen to work with us."
Church Regulations Reforms
The organization is advocating that revisions to church regulations will enable the implementation of the strict approach worldwide.
They have consulted specialists and gathered documents that they plan to submit to the pontiff.
"He seemed engaged in looking at it," Hickey noted.
Responsibility Highlighted
A recent Vatican-commissioned report highlighted the "necessity of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or dismissal of Church leaders or personnel in cases of abuse or negligence."
The document also pointed out that victims repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for church leaders and senior officials to be held accountable for inaction and concealment."
Moving Forward
The representative shared they informed the pontiff at the start of their discussion: "This is as much a risk for him to participate in a conversation as it was for us."
After the meeting, they voiced hope for future change.
"We understand it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the conclusion, uniting and establishing a relationship and persisting to build that relationship is a move 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 alter how the narrative concludes - he appreciated that."
