Individuals who endured abuse by church officials have expressed fresh optimism following their first encounter with Pope Leo at the Holy See.
Gemma Hickey, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, commented that the pontiff's choice to engage with them so soon in his leadership spoke volumes about his dedication to tackling the problem.
Worldwide Strict Approach Advocated
The group is pushing for a worldwide strict approach that would defrock any clergy member who admits to or is found guilty of abusing a minor. This approach has been implemented in the US.
The Pope acknowledged that there is "resistance in some parts of the globe" to this initiative, according to Hickey.
"We were all being realistic when we recognized that there is pushback," Hickey remarked.
Inherited Issue
The current pontiff, who took the position in May, has taken on this longstanding issue that has haunted the Catholic Church for decades.
Earlier attempts to resolve the problem included an historic summit on paedophilia within the Church and changes to canon law to clearly outlaw abuse.
Personal Connection
For Hickey, who uses they/them pronouns, the drive for worldwide adoption of the measure is deeply meaningful. The North American advocate revealed they were victimized by a priest 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. "Both sides share the same goal, we want to eliminate abuse by religious officials."
Historic Encounter
Multiple members of the organization, which represents survivors and supporters from over thirty nations, engaged with the Pope in his official residence.
The meeting, initially planned for a brief period, extended to a full hour, during which the Pope "primarily heard to us," according to Hickey.
The Pope was characterized as "quite empathetic" when listening to the account of a woman abused at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in North America.
Hickey noted the Pope was "tender" about their personal story and appeared "modest, humorous, and approachable."
"Victims have long wanted a voice in discussions and I didn't feel like he was making empty promises," Hickey stated. "I felt like he was sincere, practical, and very open and eager to collaborate with us."
Canon Law Reforms
The group is advocating that changes to church regulations will enable the adoption of the zero-tolerance policy globally.
They have consulted experts and compiled materials that they will submit to the pontiff.
"He seemed interested in looking at it," Hickey remarked.
Responsibility Emphasized
A recent church-ordered report highlighted the "necessity of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or removal of Church leaders or staff in cases of misconduct or negligence."
The report also noted that survivors repeatedly stressed the "urgent need for church leaders and major superiors to be made responsible for inaction and cover-up."
Moving Forward
Hickey shared they informed the pontiff at the beginning 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 understand it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the conclusion, uniting and building a connection and persisting to strengthen that bond is a step in the correct path," Hickey stated.
They concluded that they told with the pontiff: "Even though it's a dark chapter, I feel like we can change how the story ends - he appreciated that."
