People who endured sexual abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced renewed hope following their initial meeting with Pope Leo at the Vatican.
Gemma Hickey, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, commented that the Pope's choice to engage with them so early in his leadership sent a strong message about his dedication to tackling the problem.
Global Zero-Tolerance Policy Advocated
The organization is advocating for a worldwide zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any clergy member who confesses to or is found guilty of abusing a minor. This policy has been implemented in the United States.
The Pontiff recognized that there is "resistance in some parts of the globe" to this initiative, according to Hickey.
"We were all being realistic when we acknowledged that there is pushback," they remarked.
Inherited Issue
The new Pope, who took the role in spring, has inherited this longstanding problem that has plagued the Church for many years.
Previous efforts to address the situation included an unprecedented meeting on paedophilia within the institution and revisions to canon law to explicitly criminalize abuse.
Deeply Felt Connection
For Hickey, who uses they/them pronouns, the campaign for worldwide adoption of the policy is personal. The Canadian advocate revealed they were victimized by a clergy member who was subsequently moved between various churches.
"We trust this will set the tone for his papacy, because we want to work with him," they expressed. "We have the common objective, we seek to end abuse by religious officials."
Significant Encounter
Multiple members of the organization, which represents victims and supporters from over thirty nations, engaged with the Pope in his official residence.
The discussion, originally scheduled for a brief period, extended to a sixty minutes, during which the Pope "primarily heard to us," according to Hickey.
The Pope was described as "very understanding" when listening to the story of a female survivor victimized at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in Canada.
They noted the Pope was "tender" about their personal story and appeared "modest, funny, and very down to earth."
"Victims have long wanted a voice in discussions and I didn't perceive like he was making empty promises," Hickey stated. "I felt like he was sincere, realistic, and very open and keen to work with us."
Church Regulations Changes
The organization is advocating that revisions to church regulations will enable the adoption of the zero-tolerance policy globally.
They have consulted specialists and compiled documents that they plan to present to the pontiff.
"He appeared engaged in reviewing it," they noted.
Responsibility Emphasized
A recent church-ordered document emphasized 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 noted that victims repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for church leaders and major superiors to be made responsible for inaction and cover-up."
Path Ahead
Hickey shared they informed the pontiff at the start of their meeting: "This is as much a risk for him to engage in a dialogue as it was for us."
Following the encounter, Hickey expressed hope for progress.
"We realise it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the end of the day, coming together and building a connection and persisting to build that relationship is a move in the correct path," they stated.
Hickey concluded that they shared with Pope Leo: "Even though it's a difficult period, I believe like we can change how the narrative ends - he valued that."
