People who endured abuse by church officials have expressed renewed hope following their initial encounter with Pope Leo at the Holy See.
Gemma Hickey, who leads Ending Clergy Abuse, commented that the Pope's decision to engage with them so early in his leadership sent a strong message about his commitment to tackling the issue.
Worldwide Strict Policy Advocated
The group is advocating for a global strict approach that would defrock any priest who admits to or is proven of abusing a child. This policy has already been adopted in the US.
The Pontiff recognized that there is "resistance in some parts of the globe" to this proposal, according to Hickey.
"Everyone was practical when we recognized that there is resistance," Hickey stated.
Inherited Issue
The new Pope, who assumed the role in May, has inherited this persistent problem that has plagued the Church for decades.
Previous efforts to resolve the problem included an historic meeting on paedophilia within the Church and revisions to church laws to explicitly criminalize abuse.
Personal Connection
For the representative, who uses they/them pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the policy is deeply meaningful. The North American activist shared they were victimized by a clergy member who was subsequently moved between various churches.
"We trust this will set the tone for his papacy, because we aim to collaborate with him," Hickey stated. "Both sides share the common objective, we want to end abuse by religious officials."
Historic Meeting
Multiple representatives of the coalition, which represents victims and advocates from more than 30 countries, engaged with the Pontiff in his Vatican office.
The meeting, initially planned for a brief period, lasted to a full hour, during which the religious leader "mostly listened to us," according to the representative.
The pontiff was characterized as "very understanding" when listening to the account of a woman abused at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in North America.
Hickey noted the Pope was "compassionate" about their personal story and seemed "very humble, funny, and very down to earth."
"Victims have long wanted a voice in discussions and I didn't feel like he was giving us lip service," Hickey commented. "I believed like he was sincere, realistic, and receptive and eager to collaborate with us."
Church Regulations Changes
The organization is hoping that revisions to church regulations will facilitate the adoption of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.
They have spoken with experts and compiled materials that they plan to present to Pope Leo.
"He appeared interested in looking at it," they noted.
Accountability Highlighted
A recent Vatican-commissioned report emphasized the "necessity of a efficient process for the stepping down and/or dismissal of Church leaders or staff in cases of abuse or negligence."
The report also pointed out that survivors repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for bishops and senior officials to be made responsible for inaction and concealment."
Path Ahead
Hickey revealed they informed the Pope at the start of their meeting: "This represents as much a challenge for him to participate in a conversation as it was for us."
After the encounter, Hickey voiced hope for progress.
"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 connection and persisting to build that relationship is a step in the right direction," they stated.
Hickey concluded that they shared with the pontiff: "Even though it's a difficult period, I feel like we can change how the story ends - he appreciated that."
