People who endured sexual abuse by church officials have expressed fresh optimism after their initial meeting with the new Pope at the Vatican.
Gemma Hickey, who leads the anti-abuse organization, commented that the Pope's choice to engage with them so soon in his papacy spoke volumes about his commitment to addressing the issue.
Global 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 sexually abusing a minor. This approach has been implemented in the US.
The Pontiff acknowledged that there is "opposition in certain regions of the world" to this initiative, according to Hickey.
"Everyone was practical when we recognized that there is pushback," they stated.
Inherited Issue
The current pontiff, who took the role in May, has taken on this persistent issue that has haunted the Church for decades.
Previous efforts to resolve the situation included an unprecedented summit on paedophilia within the institution and revisions to church laws to clearly outlaw sexual abuse.
Deeply Felt Connection
For Hickey, who prefers they/them pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the measure is deeply meaningful. The Canadian activist revealed they were abused by a priest who was subsequently moved between different parishes.
"We trust this will establish the direction for his papacy, because we aim to work with him," they expressed. "Both sides share the same goal, we want to end abuse by religious officials."
Significant Encounter
Seven members of the organization, which includes survivors and supporters from more than 30 nations, met with the Pope in his official residence.
The discussion, initially planned for 20 minutes, lasted to a sixty minutes, during which the religious leader "primarily heard to us," according to Hickey.
The pontiff was characterized as "very understanding" when listening to the story of a woman abused at a church-run institution for native youth in North America.
They added the Pope was "tender" about their personal story and seemed "very humble, humorous, and approachable."
"Victims have consistently sought a seat at the table and I didn't feel like he was making empty promises," they commented. "I believed like he was sincere, realistic, and very open and keen to work with us."
Canon Law Changes
The organization is advocating that revisions to canon law will enable the adoption of the strict approach worldwide.
They have spoken with specialists and compiled documents that they will present to the pontiff.
"He seemed engaged in looking at it," they remarked.
Accountability Highlighted
A recently released church-ordered report emphasized the "necessity of a efficient process for the stepping down and/or removal of religious officials or staff in cases of abuse or failure to act."
The report also noted that victims consistently emphasized the "critical requirement for church leaders and major superiors to be made responsible for inaction and concealment."
Moving Forward
Hickey shared they informed the Pope at the beginning of their discussion: "This represents as much a risk for him to participate in a dialogue as it was for us."
After the encounter, Hickey voiced hope for future change.
"We realise it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the conclusion, uniting and establishing a connection and persisting to strengthen that bond is a step in the right direction," Hickey commented.
Hickey concluded that they shared with Pope Leo: "Even though it's a dark chapter, I believe like we can alter how the story concludes - he appreciated that."
