Individuals who experienced sexual abuse by church officials have voiced renewed hope following their initial encounter with Pope Leo at the Vatican.
The board president, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, stated that the pontiff's choice to engage with them so soon in his papacy sent a strong message about his dedication to addressing the problem.
Global Strict Approach Advocated
The group is pushing for a global strict approach that would defrock any clergy member who admits to or is proven of sexually abusing a child. This policy has been implemented in the US.
The Pontiff acknowledged that there is "opposition in certain regions of the globe" to this initiative, according to the representative.
"We were all being realistic when we recognized that there is pushback," Hickey remarked.
Legacy Challenge
The new Pope, who took the position in May, has taken on this persistent issue that has plagued the Catholic Church for decades.
Previous efforts to resolve the problem included an unprecedented summit on paedophilia within the Church and revisions to canon law to explicitly criminalize abuse.
Personal Connection
For Hickey, who prefers they/them pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the policy is deeply meaningful. The North American activist revealed they were abused by a priest who was later transferred between various churches.
"Hopefully this will establish the direction for his leadership, because we aim to collaborate with him," they stated. "Both sides share the same goal, we seek to end abuse by religious officials."
Significant Encounter
Seven representatives of the coalition, which includes victims and supporters from more than 30 countries, engaged with the Pontiff in his Vatican office.
The meeting, originally scheduled for 20 minutes, extended to a full hour, during which the Pope "primarily heard to us," according to Hickey.
The pontiff was characterized as "quite empathetic" when hearing the story of a woman abused at a Catholic residential school for Indigenous children in North America.
They added the leader was "tender" about their own story and seemed "modest, funny, and very down to earth."
"Survivors have long wanted a voice in discussions and I didn't perceive like he was making empty promises," they commented. "I felt like he was sincere, realistic, and receptive and eager to work with us."
Canon Law Changes
The group is hoping that changes to canon law will facilitate the implementation of the strict approach globally.
They have spoken with experts and gathered documents that they plan to present to the pontiff.
"He seemed engaged in reviewing it," Hickey noted.
Accountability Emphasized
A recent church-ordered document emphasized the "necessity of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or removal of Church leaders or personnel in cases of misconduct or negligence."
The document also noted that survivors repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for church leaders and senior officials to be held accountable for inaction and concealment."
Moving Forward
The representative revealed they informed the pontiff at the start of their discussion: "This is 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 conclusion, coming together and building a relationship and persisting to build that relationship is a move in the correct path," Hickey stated.
They added that they told with Pope Leo: "Just because it's a difficult period, I feel like we can alter how the story ends - he appreciated that."
