People who endured sexual abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced fresh optimism following their initial meeting with the new Pope at the Vatican.
The board president, heading the anti-abuse organization, commented that the pontiff's decision to meet with them so early in his papacy spoke volumes about his commitment to tackling the problem.
Global Zero-Tolerance Policy Advocated
The organization is pushing for a worldwide zero-tolerance policy that would permanently remove any clergy member who confesses to or is found guilty of sexually abusing a child. This approach has been implemented in the United States.
The Pope acknowledged that there is "opposition in some parts of the globe" to this proposal, according to Hickey.
"We were all being realistic when we recognized that there is resistance," Hickey stated.
Inherited Challenge
The current pontiff, who assumed the role in May, has inherited this persistent problem that has plagued the Catholic Church for decades.
Earlier attempts to address the problem included an historic meeting on child abuse within the Church and revisions to church laws to explicitly criminalize abuse.
Personal Connection
For the representative, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the policy is personal. The North American advocate revealed they were victimized by a clergy member who was subsequently transferred between different parishes.
"Hopefully this will establish the direction for his papacy, because we aim to collaborate with him," Hickey expressed. "We have the common objective, we want to eliminate abuse by religious officials."
Significant Encounter
Multiple members of the coalition, which includes survivors and supporters from more than 30 nations, engaged with the Pope in his Vatican office.
The meeting, initially planned for 20 minutes, lasted to a full hour, during which the religious leader "primarily heard to us," according to Hickey.
The Pope was described as "quite empathetic" when listening to the story of a female survivor victimized at a Catholic residential school for Indigenous children in Canada.
Hickey added the leader was "tender" about their own experience and seemed "very humble, humorous, and very down to earth."
"Survivors have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't perceive like he was giving us lip service," they stated. "I believed like he was genuine, realistic, and receptive and keen to collaborate with us."
Church Regulations Reforms
The organization is hoping that revisions to canon law will enable the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.
They have consulted specialists and compiled materials that they will present to Pope Leo.
"He seemed interested in reviewing it," Hickey remarked.
Accountability Emphasized
A recently released Vatican-commissioned document highlighted the "necessity of a streamlined protocol for the resignation and/or dismissal of Church leaders or staff in cases of abuse or failure to act."
The report also pointed out that victims consistently emphasized the "critical requirement for bishops and major superiors to be made responsible for inaction and cover-up."
Moving Forward
Hickey shared they told the pontiff at the start of their discussion: "This represents as much a challenge for him to engage in a conversation as it was for us."
Following the meeting, Hickey voiced optimism for future change.
"We realise it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the conclusion, coming together and building a relationship and continuing to build that bond is a step in the correct path," Hickey commented.
They concluded that they told with the pontiff: "Even though it's a difficult period, I feel like we can alter how the story ends - he appreciated that."
