People who experienced sexual abuse by church officials have expressed fresh optimism after their first meeting with the new Pope at the Vatican.
The board president, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, stated that the Pope's choice to meet with them so early in his papacy spoke volumes about his dedication to tackling the issue.
Worldwide Strict Policy Pushed
The organization is pushing for a global zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any priest 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 proposal, according to Hickey.
"Everyone was practical when we acknowledged that there is pushback," they remarked.
Legacy Issue
The new Pope, who assumed the position in May, has inherited this longstanding issue that has plagued the Catholic Church for many years.
Previous efforts to address the problem included an historic summit on paedophilia within the institution and revisions to church laws to clearly outlaw sexual abuse.
Deeply Felt Connection
For Hickey, who prefers gender-neutral pronouns, the campaign for global implementation of the policy is deeply meaningful. The North American advocate shared they were victimized by a clergy member who was subsequently transferred between different parishes.
"Hopefully this will set the tone for his leadership, because we aim to work with him," they expressed. "Both sides share the same goal, we seek to eliminate clergy abuse."
Historic Meeting
Seven representatives of the coalition, which includes survivors and advocates from more than 30 nations, met with the Pope in his official residence.
The discussion, originally scheduled for 20 minutes, extended to a full hour, during which the religious leader "mostly listened to us," according to the representative.
The pontiff was characterized as "very understanding" when hearing the account of a woman abused at a church-run institution for native youth in North America.
Hickey noted the leader was "compassionate" about their personal experience and appeared "modest, humorous, and approachable."
"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 genuine, practical, and receptive and keen to collaborate with us."
Canon Law Reforms
The organization is advocating that revisions to canon law will facilitate the adoption of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.
They have spoken with experts and gathered materials that they will submit to Pope Leo.
"He seemed interested in reviewing it," Hickey noted.
Accountability Emphasized
A recent Vatican-commissioned report highlighted the "importance of a efficient process for the stepping down and/or removal of religious officials or staff in cases of abuse or negligence."
The document also noted that victims repeatedly stressed the "urgent need for church leaders and major superiors to be held accountable for inaction and concealment."
Path Ahead
The representative revealed they informed the pontiff at the start of their discussion: "This represents as much a risk for him to participate in a dialogue as it was for us."
Following the encounter, Hickey voiced hope for progress.
"We realise it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the conclusion, uniting and establishing a relationship and persisting to build that bond is a move in the right direction," they commented.
Hickey concluded that they told with the pontiff: "Just because it's a dark chapter, I believe like we can change how the story concludes - he appreciated that."
