People who experienced sexual abuse by Catholic clergy have expressed renewed hope following their initial meeting with the new Pope at the Holy See.
The board president, who leads the anti-abuse organization, stated that the pontiff's choice to engage with them so early in his leadership sent a strong message about his dedication to addressing the problem.
Worldwide Zero-Tolerance Approach Advocated
The organization is pushing for a worldwide zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any priest who confesses to or is proven of sexually abusing a child. This approach has been implemented in the United States.
The Pontiff acknowledged that there is "resistance in some parts of the globe" to this proposal, according to the representative.
"We were all being realistic when we recognized that there is pushback," Hickey remarked.
Inherited Issue
The new Pope, who assumed the role in spring, has inherited this longstanding problem that has plagued the Catholic Church for many years.
Previous efforts to address the problem included an historic summit on paedophilia within the institution and revisions to church laws to clearly outlaw sexual abuse.
Deeply Felt Link
For Hickey, who uses they/them pronouns, the drive for worldwide adoption of the measure is personal. The North American advocate shared they were abused by a priest who was later moved between various churches.
"We trust this will set the tone for his leadership, because we want to collaborate with him," they expressed. "Both sides share the common objective, we want to end abuse by religious officials."
Significant Encounter
Multiple members of the organization, which represents victims and advocates from more than 30 nations, engaged with the Pope in his official residence.
The discussion, initially planned for 20 minutes, lasted to a full hour, during which the religious leader "mostly listened to us," according to Hickey.
The pontiff was described as "very understanding" when listening to the story of a woman victimized at a church-run institution for native youth in Canada.
Hickey added the leader was "tender" about their own story and appeared "very humble, funny, and approachable."
"Survivors have consistently sought a seat at the table and I didn't perceive like he was giving us lip service," they stated. "I felt like he was sincere, realistic, and receptive and keen to collaborate with us."
Canon Law Changes
The group is advocating that revisions to canon law will facilitate the adoption of the strict approach worldwide.
They have consulted experts and gathered materials that they will present to Pope Leo.
"He seemed engaged in reviewing it," they remarked.
Accountability Highlighted
A recent church-ordered document highlighted the "importance of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or dismissal of Church leaders or personnel in cases of abuse or failure to act."
The document also noted that victims consistently emphasized the "urgent need for bishops and senior officials to be held accountable for inaction and cover-up."
Path Ahead
Hickey revealed they told the pontiff at the beginning of their meeting: "This represents as much a risk for him to participate in a dialogue as it was for us."
After the meeting, they expressed hope for future change.
"We understand it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the conclusion, coming together and building a connection and persisting to build that bond is a step in the right direction," Hickey commented.
They added that they told with the pontiff: "Even though it's a difficult period, I feel like we can alter how the story concludes - he appreciated that."
