Individuals who experienced abuse by Catholic clergy have expressed fresh optimism after their initial encounter with the new Pope at the Holy See.
The board president, who leads Ending Clergy Abuse, commented that the pontiff's decision to meet with them so early in his leadership sent a strong message about his commitment to tackling the problem.
Global Zero-Tolerance Policy Advocated
The organization is pushing for a global strict approach that would permanently remove any clergy member who admits to or is found guilty of sexually abusing a child. This policy has already been adopted in the US.
The Pontiff acknowledged that there is "opposition in some parts of the world" to this initiative, according to Hickey.
"We were all being realistic when we recognized that there is pushback," they remarked.
Legacy Issue
The new Pope, who assumed the position in May, has inherited this longstanding issue that has plagued the Church for decades.
Earlier attempts to resolve the problem included an historic summit on paedophilia within the institution and changes to canon law to clearly outlaw abuse.
Deeply Felt Link
For Hickey, who prefers gender-neutral pronouns, the campaign for global implementation of the measure is deeply meaningful. The North American advocate shared they were abused by a clergy member who was subsequently moved between different parishes.
"We trust this will set the tone for his leadership, because we want to collaborate with him," Hickey stated. "We have the common objective, we want to end clergy abuse."
Historic Meeting
Seven members of the organization, which represents survivors and advocates from over thirty countries, engaged with the Pope in his Vatican office.
The meeting, originally scheduled for a brief period, lasted to a full hour, during which the Pope "mostly listened to us," according to the representative.
The Pope was characterized as "very understanding" when hearing the story of a female survivor abused at a Catholic residential school for native youth in North America.
They added the leader was "tender" about their personal experience and seemed "modest, humorous, and approachable."
"Victims have long wanted a seat at the table and I didn't feel like he was giving us lip service," they stated. "I believed like he was sincere, realistic, and receptive and keen to work with us."
Church Regulations Changes
The organization is advocating that revisions to canon law will enable the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy globally.
They have consulted experts and compiled materials that they will present to Pope Leo.
"He appeared engaged in looking at it," they remarked.
Accountability Emphasized
A recent Vatican-commissioned document highlighted the "necessity of a efficient process for the stepping down and/or dismissal of religious officials or personnel in cases of abuse or failure to act."
The report also pointed out that survivors consistently emphasized the "critical requirement for bishops and major superiors to be held accountable for negligence and concealment."
Moving Forward
Hickey revealed they informed the Pope at the beginning of their meeting: "This is as much a risk for him to engage in a conversation as it was for us."
After the meeting, they voiced hope for progress.
"We realise it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the conclusion, uniting and building a connection and persisting to build that relationship is a step in the correct path," Hickey stated.
Hickey added that they told with Pope Leo: "Just because it's a dark chapter, I feel like we can change how the story concludes - he valued that."
