People who experienced sexual abuse by Catholic clergy have expressed renewed hope following their first meeting with Pope Leo at the Vatican.
Gemma Hickey, who leads Ending Clergy Abuse, commented that the pontiff's decision to engage with them so soon in his leadership sent a strong message about his commitment to tackling the problem.
Global Strict Policy Pushed
The organization is advocating for a global zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any clergy member who admits to or is found guilty of abusing a minor. This approach has been implemented in the United States.
The Pope acknowledged that there is "resistance in some parts of the world" to this proposal, according to Hickey.
"We were all being realistic when we recognized that there is resistance," Hickey remarked.
Legacy Issue
The current pontiff, who assumed the position in spring, has taken on this longstanding issue that has plagued the Church for decades.
Previous efforts to resolve the situation included an historic summit on child abuse within the Church and changes to church laws to explicitly criminalize sexual abuse.
Personal Link
For the representative, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, the campaign for global implementation of the measure is deeply meaningful. The Canadian activist shared they were abused by a clergy member who was later transferred between different parishes.
"We trust this will establish the direction for his leadership, because we want to collaborate with him," they stated. "Both sides share the same goal, we want to end abuse by religious officials."
Significant Encounter
Multiple members of the coalition, which represents survivors and advocates from over thirty countries, engaged with the Pope in his official residence.
The meeting, initially planned for 20 minutes, extended to a full hour, during which the Pope "mostly listened to us," according to Hickey.
The Pope was characterized as "very understanding" when hearing the account of a woman abused at a church-run institution for native youth in North America.
They noted the leader was "tender" about their own experience and seemed "modest, humorous, and approachable."
"Survivors have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't perceive like he was making empty promises," Hickey stated. "I felt like he was sincere, practical, and receptive and eager to work with us."
Church Regulations Changes
The group is hoping that revisions to canon law will facilitate the implementation of the strict approach globally.
They have consulted experts and compiled materials that they will present to the pontiff.
"He appeared interested in looking at it," they remarked.
Responsibility Highlighted
A recent church-ordered report highlighted the "importance of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or removal of Church leaders or staff in cases of misconduct or failure to act."
The document also noted that survivors repeatedly stressed the "urgent need for bishops and major superiors to be made responsible for negligence and cover-up."
Moving Forward
Hickey shared they informed the Pope at the beginning of their meeting: "This is as much a challenge for him to engage in a conversation as it was for us."
After the meeting, Hickey 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, uniting and establishing a relationship and continuing to build that relationship is a step in the correct path," they stated.
Hickey concluded that they told with the pontiff: "Just because it's a difficult period, I feel like we can alter how the narrative ends - he valued that."
