Individuals who experienced abuse by Catholic clergy have expressed renewed hope after their first encounter with the new Pope at the Holy See.
The board president, who leads Ending Clergy Abuse, commented that the pontiff's choice to meet with them so soon in his leadership sent a strong message about his dedication to addressing the problem.
Global Zero-Tolerance Approach Advocated
The group is pushing for a worldwide zero-tolerance policy that would permanently remove any priest who admits to or is found guilty of abusing a minor. This approach has already been adopted in the US.
The Pope acknowledged that there is "opposition in some parts of the world" to this initiative, according to the representative.
"Everyone was practical when we acknowledged that there is resistance," they remarked.
Legacy Challenge
The current pontiff, who assumed the role in spring, has inherited this persistent problem that has haunted the Church for many years.
Previous efforts to address the situation included an historic summit on paedophilia within the Church and revisions to canon law to clearly outlaw sexual abuse.
Personal Link
For Hickey, who uses they/them pronouns, the campaign for global implementation of the policy is deeply meaningful. The North American advocate revealed they were victimized by a clergy member who was subsequently moved between various churches.
"We trust this will establish the direction for his papacy, because we aim to collaborate with him," Hickey stated. "Both sides share the common objective, we want to eliminate clergy abuse."
Significant Encounter
Multiple members of the coalition, which represents victims and advocates from more than 30 countries, engaged with the Pontiff in his Vatican office.
The discussion, originally scheduled for 20 minutes, lasted to a full hour, during which the Pope "primarily heard to us," according to the representative.
The pontiff was characterized as "very understanding" when listening to the story of a female survivor abused at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in Canada.
Hickey added the leader was "tender" about their own story and seemed "modest, funny, and approachable."
"Victims have long wanted a voice in discussions and I didn't perceive like he was giving us lip service," they commented. "I felt like he was sincere, realistic, and very open and eager to work with us."
Canon Law Changes
The organization is hoping that changes to canon law will enable the implementation of the strict approach worldwide.
They have consulted experts and gathered materials that they plan to submit to the pontiff.
"He appeared engaged in reviewing it," Hickey remarked.
Accountability Highlighted
A recent church-ordered document emphasized the "necessity of a streamlined protocol for the resignation and/or removal of religious officials or staff in cases of abuse or failure to act."
The report also pointed out that victims repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for church leaders and senior officials to be held accountable for negligence and cover-up."
Moving Forward
Hickey revealed they told the Pope at the start of their discussion: "This represents as much a challenge for him to engage in a dialogue as it was for us."
After the meeting, Hickey voiced optimism for future change.
"We understand it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the end of the day, coming together and building a relationship and persisting to strengthen that relationship is a step in the correct path," they commented.
They concluded that they shared with the pontiff: "Just because it's a dark chapter, I feel like we can alter how the narrative concludes - he valued that."
