People who experienced abuse by church officials have expressed renewed hope following their first encounter with the new Pope at the Holy See.
Gemma Hickey, heading the anti-abuse organization, commented that the pontiff's choice to meet with them so soon in his leadership sent a strong message about his commitment to addressing the problem.
Global Strict Approach Pushed
The organization is pushing for a global zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any priest who admits to or is found guilty of 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 proposal, according to the representative.
"We were all being realistic when we recognized that there is resistance," Hickey stated.
Legacy Challenge
The current pontiff, who took the position in spring, has taken on this longstanding issue that has plagued the Catholic Church for decades.
Earlier attempts to address the problem included an unprecedented meeting on paedophilia within the Church and changes to church laws to explicitly criminalize abuse.
Deeply Felt Link
For the representative, who uses they/them pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the measure is deeply meaningful. The Canadian activist shared they were abused by a clergy member who was later moved between various churches.
"We trust this will set the tone for his papacy, because we aim to work with him," Hickey expressed. "Both sides share the common objective, we seek to eliminate clergy abuse."
Historic Meeting
Seven members of the coalition, which includes survivors and advocates from over thirty nations, engaged with the Pontiff in his Vatican office.
The discussion, originally scheduled for a brief period, extended to a sixty minutes, during which the Pope "mostly listened to us," according to the representative.
The pontiff was characterized as "quite empathetic" when hearing the account of a woman abused at a Catholic residential school for native youth in Canada.
Hickey added the leader was "tender" about their personal experience and seemed "very humble, funny, and approachable."
"Victims have long wanted a voice in discussions and I didn't perceive like he was giving us lip service," they stated. "I believed like he was genuine, practical, and receptive and eager to work with us."
Canon Law Reforms
The group is hoping that changes to church regulations will facilitate the implementation of the strict approach worldwide.
They have spoken with specialists and gathered materials that they will present to the pontiff.
"He appeared engaged in reviewing it," Hickey remarked.
Responsibility Highlighted
A recent Vatican-commissioned document emphasized the "importance of a streamlined protocol for the resignation and/or removal of religious officials or personnel in cases of abuse or failure to act."
The report also pointed out that survivors consistently emphasized the "urgent need for bishops and major superiors to be held accountable for inaction and concealment."
Path Ahead
The representative revealed they informed the pontiff at the start of their meeting: "This represents as much a risk for him to participate in a dialogue as it was for us."
After the meeting, Hickey expressed hope for future change.
"We understand 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 bond is a step in the correct path," Hickey stated.
They added that they shared with the pontiff: "Just because it's a difficult period, I feel like we can alter how the story concludes - he appreciated that."
