Individuals who endured abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced renewed hope after their initial meeting with Pope Leo at the Vatican.
Gemma Hickey, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, stated that the pontiff's decision to meet with them so soon in his leadership spoke volumes about his dedication to addressing the problem.
Global Zero-Tolerance Approach Advocated
The group is pushing for a worldwide strict approach that would defrock any clergy member who confesses to or is proven of sexually abusing a child. This policy has already been adopted in the US.
The Pope recognized that there is "resistance in some parts of the globe" to this initiative, according to Hickey.
"Everyone was practical when we acknowledged that there is pushback," Hickey stated.
Inherited Challenge
The current pontiff, who took the role in spring, has inherited this persistent problem that has plagued the Catholic Church for many years.
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.
Deeply Felt Link
For Hickey, who prefers gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for worldwide adoption of the policy is deeply meaningful. The North American activist revealed they were victimized by a priest who was later moved between different parishes.
"Hopefully this will establish the direction for his papacy, because we aim to work with him," they expressed. "Both sides share the same goal, we seek to eliminate clergy abuse."
Historic Meeting
Seven members of the coalition, which includes survivors and supporters from more than 30 nations, met with the Pope in his official residence.
The meeting, initially planned for a brief period, extended to a full hour, during which the religious leader "mostly listened to us," according to Hickey.
The pontiff was described as "very understanding" when hearing the story of a woman abused at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in Canada.
Hickey added the Pope was "tender" about their own story and appeared "modest, funny, and approachable."
"Victims have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't feel like he was making empty promises," they commented. "I felt like he was genuine, practical, and very open and keen to collaborate with us."
Canon Law Changes
The organization is hoping that changes to church regulations will enable the adoption of the zero-tolerance policy globally.
They have spoken with specialists and compiled materials that they will submit to the pontiff.
"He appeared engaged in reviewing it," they remarked.
Responsibility Emphasized
A recently released church-ordered document emphasized the "importance of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or dismissal of Church leaders or personnel in cases of misconduct or failure to act."
The document also pointed out that survivors repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for church leaders and senior officials to be held accountable for inaction and concealment."
Moving Forward
Hickey shared they informed the pontiff at the beginning of their meeting: "This is as much a risk for him to engage in a dialogue as it was for us."
After the meeting, Hickey voiced optimism for future change.
"We understand it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the conclusion, uniting and establishing a relationship and continuing to strengthen that relationship is a move in the correct path," they stated.
Hickey concluded that they shared with Pope Leo: "Even though it's a dark chapter, I believe like we can change how the narrative ends - he valued that."
