People who experienced sexual abuse by church officials have voiced fresh optimism following their first meeting with Pope Leo at the Holy See.
Gemma Hickey, who leads Ending Clergy Abuse, commented that the pontiff's choice to meet with them so early in his leadership spoke volumes about his commitment to addressing the problem.
Worldwide Strict Approach Pushed
The organization is advocating for a worldwide zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any clergy member who confesses to or is proven of sexually abusing a child. This policy has already been adopted in the US.
The Pope recognized that there is "resistance in some parts of the world" to this initiative, according to Hickey.
"Everyone was practical when we recognized that there is pushback," they stated.
Legacy Challenge
The current pontiff, who assumed the role in May, has inherited this persistent issue that has haunted the Church for many years.
Earlier attempts to address the situation included an historic summit on paedophilia within the institution and revisions to church laws to clearly outlaw abuse.
Deeply Felt Link
For the representative, who uses they/them pronouns, the campaign for global implementation of the measure is deeply meaningful. The Canadian activist revealed they were abused by a priest who was later transferred between different parishes.
"Hopefully this will set the tone for his leadership, because we aim to collaborate with him," they stated. "Both sides share the same goal, we want to end abuse by religious officials."
Historic Meeting
Multiple representatives of the coalition, which represents victims and advocates from over thirty countries, engaged with the Pontiff 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 the representative.
The Pope was described as "very understanding" when listening to the account of a woman abused at a Catholic residential school for native youth in Canada.
They added the Pope was "tender" about their own story and seemed "very humble, funny, and approachable."
"Victims have consistently sought a seat at the table and I didn't feel like he was making empty promises," they stated. "I felt like he was genuine, practical, and very open and eager to work with us."
Canon Law Changes
The organization is hoping that changes to church regulations will enable the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy globally.
They have consulted experts and compiled materials that they will present to the pontiff.
"He seemed engaged in looking at it," Hickey remarked.
Responsibility Highlighted
A recent Vatican-commissioned document highlighted the "importance of a efficient process for the resignation and/or removal of religious officials or staff in cases of misconduct or failure to act."
The report also pointed out that victims consistently emphasized the "critical requirement for church leaders and senior officials to be held accountable for negligence and cover-up."
Path Ahead
Hickey revealed they told the Pope at the start of their meeting: "This is as much a challenge for him to participate in a dialogue as it was for us."
Following the meeting, Hickey voiced optimism for future change.
"We understand it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the conclusion, uniting and establishing a relationship and continuing to strengthen that relationship is a move in the right direction," they stated.
They added that they shared with Pope Leo: "Just because it's a difficult period, I feel like we can alter how the story ends - he valued that."
