Individuals who endured sexual abuse by church officials have expressed fresh optimism after their initial meeting with Pope Leo at the Holy See.
The board president, who leads Ending Clergy Abuse, stated that the pontiff's decision to meet with them so soon in his leadership sent a strong message about his commitment to tackling the problem.
Worldwide Strict Approach Advocated
The organization is advocating for a worldwide strict approach that would defrock any clergy member who admits 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 world" to this proposal, according to the representative.
"We were all being realistic when we recognized that there is pushback," Hickey remarked.
Inherited Issue
The new Pope, who assumed the role in May, has inherited this persistent problem that has plagued the Church for many years.
Previous efforts to address the problem included an unprecedented summit on paedophilia within the institution and changes to canon law to clearly outlaw sexual abuse.
Personal Connection
For Hickey, who prefers gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the measure is deeply meaningful. The North American advocate shared they were abused by a priest who was subsequently transferred between various churches.
"We trust this will set the tone for his papacy, because we want to work with him," they stated. "We have the common objective, we seek to eliminate abuse by religious officials."
Significant Encounter
Seven members of the coalition, which represents survivors and supporters from more than 30 nations, engaged with the Pope in his Vatican office.
The discussion, originally scheduled for a brief period, extended to a full hour, during which the Pope "primarily heard to us," according to Hickey.
The Pope was described as "very understanding" when hearing the story of a woman victimized at a Catholic residential school for Indigenous children in North America.
Hickey added the leader was "tender" about their own story and appeared "very humble, funny, and very down to earth."
"Victims have consistently sought a seat at the table and I didn't feel like he was making empty promises," Hickey stated. "I believed like he was genuine, practical, and receptive and eager to work with us."
Canon Law Reforms
The group is advocating that revisions to church regulations will facilitate the implementation of the strict approach worldwide.
They have consulted specialists and compiled materials that they will present to Pope Leo.
"He seemed engaged in looking at it," they noted.
Responsibility Emphasized
A recent church-ordered report emphasized the "necessity of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or dismissal of religious officials or personnel in cases of misconduct or negligence."
The report also noted that survivors repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for bishops and major superiors to be made responsible for inaction and concealment."
Moving Forward
Hickey shared they told the Pope at the beginning of their discussion: "This represents as much a risk for him to participate in a conversation as it was for us."
After the encounter, they voiced hope for future change.
"We understand it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the end of the day, uniting and building a relationship and persisting to build that relationship is a step in the right direction," Hickey stated.
They added that they shared with the pontiff: "Just because it's a dark chapter, I feel like we can alter how the story ends - he valued that."
