People who endured sexual abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced fresh optimism following their first encounter with Pope Leo 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 commitment to tackling the issue.
Global Zero-Tolerance Approach Advocated
The organization is pushing for a global strict approach that would defrock any clergy member who confesses to or is found guilty of sexually abusing a child. This policy has been implemented in the United States.
The Pope acknowledged that there is "opposition in certain regions of the globe" to this proposal, according to Hickey.
"We were all being realistic when we recognized that there is pushback," they stated.
Legacy Challenge
The new Pope, who assumed the position in spring, has taken on this persistent issue that has haunted the Church for many years.
Previous efforts to resolve the problem included an unprecedented meeting on child abuse within the institution and changes to canon law to clearly outlaw abuse.
Deeply Felt Link
For the representative, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, the campaign for global implementation of the policy is personal. The North American advocate revealed they were abused by a clergy member who was later moved between various churches.
"We trust this will establish the direction for his leadership, because we want to work with him," Hickey stated. "Both sides share the same goal, we seek to end clergy abuse."
Historic Encounter
Multiple members of the coalition, which includes victims and advocates from over thirty nations, engaged with the Pope in his Vatican office.
The meeting, originally scheduled for a brief period, lasted to a full hour, during which the religious leader "primarily heard to us," according to Hickey.
The pontiff was described as "quite empathetic" when hearing the story of a woman victimized at a church-run institution for native youth in North America.
Hickey added the Pope was "compassionate" about their personal story and appeared "very humble, funny, and approachable."
"Victims have consistently sought a seat at the table and I didn't feel like he was giving us lip service," they commented. "I felt like he was genuine, practical, and very open and eager to collaborate with us."
Canon Law Reforms
The group is advocating that changes to canon law will facilitate the adoption of the zero-tolerance policy globally.
They have consulted experts and gathered materials that they plan to present to Pope Leo.
"He appeared interested in reviewing it," Hickey noted.
Accountability Emphasized
A recent church-ordered report highlighted the "necessity of a efficient process for the stepping down and/or removal of religious officials or staff in cases of abuse or negligence."
The report also noted that victims repeatedly stressed the "urgent need for bishops and major superiors to be held accountable for inaction and concealment."
Path Ahead
The representative shared they informed the Pope at the beginning of their meeting: "This represents as much a risk for him to engage in a dialogue as it was for us."
Following the meeting, they expressed optimism for future change.
"We understand it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the conclusion, coming together and establishing a connection and continuing to strengthen that relationship is a step in the correct path," Hickey stated.
Hickey concluded that they shared with Pope Leo: "Even though it's a dark chapter, I feel like we can change how the narrative ends - he appreciated that."
