People who endured abuse by Catholic clergy have expressed fresh optimism after their first encounter with the new Pope at the Vatican.
The board president, who leads the anti-abuse organization, commented that the pontiff's choice to engage with them so soon in his leadership spoke volumes about his dedication to tackling the problem.
Global Strict Approach Advocated
The group is advocating for a global zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any clergy member who confesses to or is proven of sexually abusing a minor. This policy has been implemented in the US.
The Pope recognized that there is "opposition in some parts of the globe" to this proposal, according to the representative.
"Everyone was practical when we recognized that there is resistance," they remarked.
Inherited Challenge
The current pontiff, who assumed the position in spring, has inherited this persistent issue that has plagued the Church for decades.
Earlier attempts to address the problem included an historic summit on child abuse within the institution and revisions to church laws to explicitly criminalize abuse.
Personal Link
For the representative, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for worldwide adoption of the policy is deeply meaningful. The North American advocate shared they were abused by a clergy member who was later transferred between different parishes.
"Hopefully this will set the tone for his leadership, because we want to work with him," Hickey expressed. "Both sides share the same goal, we seek to end clergy abuse."
Historic Meeting
Multiple representatives of the coalition, which includes survivors and supporters from over thirty countries, met with the Pope in his Vatican office.
The discussion, originally scheduled for a brief period, lasted to a full hour, during which the Pope "mostly listened to us," according to the representative.
The Pope was characterized as "quite empathetic" when hearing the account of a female survivor abused at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in Canada.
They added the Pope was "tender" about their own story and appeared "very humble, humorous, and approachable."
"Victims have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't perceive like he was giving us lip service," Hickey stated. "I felt like he was sincere, realistic, and very open and keen to work with us."
Canon Law Reforms
The organization is advocating that changes to church regulations will enable the adoption of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.
They have consulted specialists and gathered documents that they plan to submit to the pontiff.
"He appeared engaged in looking at it," Hickey remarked.
Accountability Highlighted
A recent Vatican-commissioned report emphasized the "necessity of a efficient process for the resignation and/or dismissal of religious officials or personnel in cases of misconduct or negligence."
The document also noted that survivors repeatedly stressed the "urgent need for bishops and major superiors to be made responsible for negligence and concealment."
Moving Forward
The representative shared they informed the Pope at the beginning of their discussion: "This represents as much a challenge for him to engage in a conversation as it was for us."
After the encounter, they voiced hope for future change.
"We realise it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the end of the day, coming together and establishing a connection and persisting to build that bond is a step in the right direction," Hickey stated.
They concluded that they told with the pontiff: "Just because it's a difficult period, I believe like we can alter how the narrative concludes - he appreciated that."
