People who experienced abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced fresh optimism after their first meeting with Pope Leo at the Holy See.
Gemma Hickey, heading the anti-abuse organization, commented that the Pope's decision to meet with them so early in his leadership spoke volumes about his dedication to addressing the issue.
Global Zero-Tolerance Policy Advocated
The group is advocating for a worldwide zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any priest who confesses to or is found guilty of abusing a child. This approach has been implemented in the US.
The Pontiff acknowledged that there is "resistance in certain regions of the globe" to this proposal, according to the representative.
"Everyone was practical when we recognized that there is resistance," they stated.
Inherited Challenge
The new Pope, who assumed the role in spring, has taken on this longstanding issue that has haunted the Church for decades.
Earlier attempts to address the situation included an historic meeting on child abuse within the Church and changes to canon law to explicitly criminalize abuse.
Personal Connection
For Hickey, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, the campaign for worldwide adoption of the policy is deeply meaningful. The North American activist shared they were victimized by a clergy member who was later transferred between various churches.
"We trust this will set the tone for his papacy, because we want to collaborate with him," Hickey stated. "Both sides share the same goal, we want to end clergy abuse."
Historic Meeting
Seven representatives of the organization, which includes victims and supporters from over thirty countries, engaged with the Pontiff in his official residence.
The discussion, originally scheduled for 20 minutes, lasted to a sixty minutes, during which the religious leader "mostly listened to us," according to the representative.
The pontiff was characterized as "very understanding" when hearing the account of a woman abused at a church-run institution for native youth in North America.
They noted the Pope was "tender" about their own story and seemed "very humble, humorous, and very down to earth."
"Survivors have consistently sought a seat at the table and I didn't feel like he was making empty promises," Hickey stated. "I believed like he was sincere, practical, and very open and eager to collaborate with us."
Church Regulations Changes
The organization is advocating that revisions to church regulations will facilitate the adoption of the zero-tolerance policy globally.
They have spoken with experts and compiled documents that they plan to present to the pontiff.
"He appeared engaged in looking at it," they noted.
Responsibility Emphasized
A recent church-ordered document emphasized the "necessity of a efficient process for the resignation and/or dismissal of Church leaders or staff in cases of misconduct or failure to act."
The report also pointed out that victims repeatedly stressed the "urgent need for bishops and major superiors to be made responsible for inaction and cover-up."
Path Ahead
Hickey revealed they informed the Pope at the start of their discussion: "This is as much a risk for him to engage in a dialogue as it was for us."
After the meeting, 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 establishing a connection and persisting to build that relationship is a step in the correct path," Hickey commented.
Hickey added that they told with the pontiff: "Just because it's a difficult period, I feel like we can change how the story concludes - he appreciated that."
