People who endured abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced renewed hope after their first meeting with Pope Leo at the Vatican.
Gemma Hickey, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, commented that the Pope's decision to meet with them so soon in his leadership spoke volumes about his commitment to tackling the issue.
Worldwide Strict Policy Pushed
The group is advocating for a global strict approach that would defrock any clergy member who admits to or is found guilty of sexually abusing a child. This approach has been implemented in the United States.
The Pontiff acknowledged that there is "opposition in some parts of the world" to this proposal, according to Hickey.
"We were all being realistic when we recognized that there is pushback," they stated.
Legacy Issue
The new Pope, who assumed the role in spring, has inherited this longstanding issue that has plagued the Catholic Church for decades.
Previous efforts to address the situation included an historic summit on paedophilia within the institution and revisions to canon law to clearly outlaw sexual abuse.
Personal Link
For Hickey, who uses they/them pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the policy is deeply meaningful. The Canadian advocate shared they were victimized by a clergy member who was subsequently moved between various churches.
"We trust this will set the tone for his papacy, because we aim to work with him," they expressed. "Both sides share the same goal, we seek to end abuse by religious officials."
Historic Meeting
Seven members of the organization, which represents victims and advocates from over thirty nations, met with the Pontiff in his Vatican office.
The discussion, originally scheduled for 20 minutes, extended to a full hour, during which the Pope "primarily heard to us," according to Hickey.
The Pope was described as "very understanding" when listening to the account of a woman abused at a Catholic residential school for Indigenous children in Canada.
Hickey noted the leader was "tender" about their personal experience and seemed "modest, humorous, and approachable."
"Victims have long wanted a voice in discussions and I didn't perceive like he was giving us lip service," Hickey commented. "I believed like he was sincere, realistic, and receptive and keen to work with us."
Church Regulations Reforms
The group is hoping that revisions to canon law 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 seemed interested in looking at it," Hickey remarked.
Accountability Highlighted
A recently released Vatican-commissioned document highlighted the "necessity of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or removal of religious officials or personnel in cases of misconduct or negligence."
The report also pointed out that victims repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for bishops and senior officials to be made responsible for inaction and cover-up."
Moving Forward
Hickey revealed they told the Pope at the start of their meeting: "This is as much a risk for him to engage in a conversation as it was for us."
After the encounter, Hickey expressed optimism for progress.
"We realise it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the conclusion, coming together and building a relationship and persisting to strengthen that relationship is a move in the correct path," Hickey commented.
They added that they told with the pontiff: "Even though it's a dark chapter, I believe like we can change how the narrative ends - he appreciated that."
