People who experienced sexual abuse by Catholic clergy have expressed fresh optimism following their first encounter with the new Pope at the Holy See.
The board president, who leads the anti-abuse organization, commented that the Pope's choice to engage with them so early in his papacy spoke volumes about his dedication to tackling the problem.
Global Strict Approach Advocated
The organization is advocating for a global strict approach that would defrock any priest who admits to or is found guilty of sexually abusing a child. This approach has been implemented in the United States.
The Pontiff recognized that there is "resistance in some parts of the world" to this initiative, according to Hickey.
"Everyone was practical when we acknowledged that there is pushback," Hickey stated.
Legacy Challenge
The current pontiff, who took the position in May, has inherited this longstanding issue that has haunted the Catholic Church for decades.
Previous efforts to resolve the situation included an unprecedented summit on paedophilia within the institution and changes to canon law to explicitly criminalize sexual abuse.
Deeply Felt Connection
For Hickey, who uses they/them pronouns, the drive for worldwide adoption of the policy is personal. The North American advocate shared 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 work with him," Hickey expressed. "We have the common objective, we seek to eliminate abuse by religious officials."
Historic Encounter
Seven members of the organization, which includes victims and advocates from more than 30 countries, engaged with the Pontiff in his official residence.
The discussion, initially planned for 20 minutes, extended to a full hour, during which the religious leader "mostly listened to us," according to Hickey.
The pontiff was described as "quite empathetic" when listening to the account of a female survivor victimized at a church-run institution for native youth in Canada.
They added the Pope was "compassionate" about their personal experience and seemed "very humble, funny, and very down to earth."
"Victims have long wanted a seat at the table and I didn't feel like he was giving us lip service," they stated. "I felt like he was genuine, practical, and receptive and keen to collaborate with us."
Church Regulations Changes
The group is hoping that changes to canon law will facilitate the adoption of the zero-tolerance policy globally.
They have consulted specialists and gathered documents that they will present to Pope Leo.
"He appeared interested in looking at it," they noted.
Responsibility Highlighted
A recent church-ordered document highlighted the "necessity of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or dismissal of religious officials or personnel in cases of misconduct or negligence."
The report also pointed out that victims consistently emphasized the "urgent need for church leaders and major superiors to be made responsible for inaction and concealment."
Moving Forward
The representative revealed they informed the pontiff at the beginning of their meeting: "This is as much a challenge for him to engage in a dialogue as it was for us."
After the encounter, they voiced hope 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 persisting to build that bond is a move in the right direction," Hickey commented.
They added that they shared with Pope Leo: "Even though it's a dark chapter, I believe like we can alter how the narrative ends - he appreciated that."
