Individuals who experienced sexual abuse by church officials have expressed renewed hope following their first encounter with Pope Leo at the Holy See.
Gemma Hickey, heading the anti-abuse organization, stated that the pontiff's decision to engage with them so soon in his papacy spoke volumes about his commitment to addressing the problem.
Global Zero-Tolerance Policy Pushed
The group is pushing for a global strict approach that would defrock any priest who confesses to or is found guilty of abusing a minor. This policy has been implemented in the US.
The Pope recognized that there is "resistance in some parts of the globe" to this initiative, according to the representative.
"We were all being realistic when we acknowledged that there is resistance," they stated.
Inherited Challenge
The new Pope, who assumed the role in spring, has inherited this persistent problem that has haunted the Church for many years.
Previous efforts to resolve the situation included an unprecedented meeting on paedophilia within the Church and revisions to canon law to clearly outlaw abuse.
Personal Connection
For Hickey, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, the campaign for global implementation of the measure is personal. The North American advocate revealed they were abused by a priest who was later moved between various churches.
"Hopefully this will establish the direction for his papacy, because we want to collaborate with him," Hickey stated. "We have the common objective, we seek to eliminate clergy abuse."
Historic Encounter
Seven representatives of the organization, which includes survivors and advocates from over thirty nations, engaged with the Pontiff in his Vatican office.
The meeting, originally scheduled for a brief period, lasted to a full hour, during which the Pope "primarily heard to us," according to the representative.
The Pope was described as "quite empathetic" when hearing the story of a female survivor victimized at a Catholic residential school for native youth in Canada.
They noted the Pope was "compassionate" about their personal story and seemed "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," Hickey stated. "I believed like he was genuine, realistic, and very open and keen to collaborate with us."
Canon Law Changes
The group is hoping that changes to canon law will enable the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.
They have spoken with experts and compiled documents that they will submit to the pontiff.
"He appeared engaged in looking at it," they remarked.
Accountability Emphasized
A recent Vatican-commissioned document emphasized the "importance of a streamlined protocol for the resignation and/or dismissal of Church leaders or personnel in cases of abuse or negligence."
The report also noted that victims repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for bishops and senior officials to be held accountable for inaction and cover-up."
Moving Forward
Hickey revealed they informed the pontiff at the start of their meeting: "This is as much a risk for him to participate in a dialogue as it was for us."
Following the encounter, they voiced hope for future change.
"We understand it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the end of the day, coming together and building a connection and persisting to strengthen that relationship is a step in the right direction," they stated.
Hickey added that they told with Pope Leo: "Even though it's a difficult period, I feel like we can alter how the story ends - he valued that."
