People who experienced abuse by church officials have voiced renewed hope following their first encounter with Pope Leo at the Vatican.
The board president, heading the anti-abuse organization, commented that the Pope's choice to engage with them so soon in his papacy sent a strong message about his commitment to addressing the problem.
Global Strict Approach Advocated
The group is advocating for a worldwide strict approach that would defrock any clergy member who admits to or is found guilty of abusing a child. This policy has already been adopted in the US.
The Pope acknowledged that there is "opposition in certain regions of the globe" to this initiative, according to Hickey.
"Everyone was practical when we acknowledged that there is pushback," they remarked.
Legacy Challenge
The new Pope, who assumed the role in spring, has inherited this persistent problem that has plagued the Catholic Church for decades.
Earlier attempts to resolve the situation included an unprecedented summit on child abuse within the Church and revisions to canon law to clearly outlaw sexual abuse.
Personal Connection
For the representative, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the policy is deeply meaningful. The North American activist revealed they were victimized by a priest who was subsequently moved between various churches.
"Hopefully this will set the tone for his leadership, because we aim to work with him," Hickey expressed. "Both sides share the common objective, we want to eliminate clergy abuse."
Significant Encounter
Multiple members of the coalition, which includes survivors and advocates from more than 30 countries, engaged with the Pontiff in his Vatican office.
The discussion, initially planned for 20 minutes, extended to a full hour, during which the religious leader "mostly listened to us," according to the representative.
The Pope was described as "very understanding" when listening to the account of a woman victimized at a Catholic residential school for Indigenous children in North America.
Hickey added the leader was "compassionate" about their personal story and seemed "very humble, humorous, and very down to earth."
"Victims have long wanted a voice in discussions and I didn't perceive like he was making empty promises," they stated. "I believed like he was sincere, practical, and receptive and keen to work with us."
Church Regulations Reforms
The organization is advocating that revisions to church regulations will enable the adoption of the strict approach worldwide.
They have consulted specialists and gathered materials that they plan to submit to the pontiff.
"He appeared engaged in looking at it," they noted.
Accountability Emphasized
A recent Vatican-commissioned document emphasized the "importance of a efficient process for the resignation and/or removal of Church leaders or personnel in cases of misconduct or negligence."
The document also pointed out that victims repeatedly stressed the "urgent need for bishops and major superiors to be held accountable for negligence and concealment."
Path Ahead
The representative shared they informed the pontiff at the beginning of their discussion: "This represents as much a challenge for him to engage in a conversation as it was for us."
Following the encounter, Hickey expressed optimism for future change.
"We understand it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the end of the day, coming together and establishing a relationship and continuing to strengthen that bond is a move in the correct path," Hickey stated.
They added that they shared with Pope Leo: "Even though it's a dark chapter, I believe like we can alter how the narrative concludes - he appreciated that."
