People who endured abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced renewed hope after their initial meeting with the new Pope at the Holy See.
Gemma Hickey, heading the anti-abuse organization, stated that the pontiff's choice to meet with them so soon in his papacy sent a strong message about his dedication to addressing the issue.
Worldwide Zero-Tolerance Policy Pushed
The group is advocating for a global zero-tolerance policy that would permanently remove any priest who confesses to or is found guilty of sexually abusing a minor. This policy has been implemented in the United States.
The Pontiff recognized that there is "resistance in certain regions of the world" to this proposal, according to Hickey.
"Everyone was practical when we acknowledged that there is pushback," they stated.
Inherited Issue
The current pontiff, who took the position in spring, has inherited this persistent problem that has haunted the Catholic Church for many years.
Earlier attempts to resolve the situation included an historic summit on paedophilia within the Church and revisions to canon law to explicitly criminalize sexual abuse.
Personal Connection
For Hickey, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the policy is personal. The Canadian activist revealed they were abused by a clergy member who was later transferred between different parishes.
"Hopefully this will set the tone for his papacy, because we aim to collaborate with him," Hickey expressed. "Both sides share the same goal, we seek to end clergy abuse."
Historic Meeting
Seven representatives of the organization, which represents victims and supporters 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 "mostly listened to us," according to the representative.
The Pope was described as "very understanding" when hearing the account of a woman victimized at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in North America.
They noted the Pope was "tender" about their personal story and appeared "very humble, funny, and approachable."
"Survivors have long wanted a seat at the table and I didn't perceive like he was giving us lip service," Hickey commented. "I believed like he was genuine, practical, and very open and eager to collaborate with us."
Canon Law Changes
The group is hoping that revisions to canon law will enable the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy globally.
They have consulted experts and gathered materials that they plan to present to the pontiff.
"He appeared engaged in looking at it," Hickey remarked.
Responsibility Emphasized
A recently released church-ordered report emphasized the "importance of a efficient process 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 survivors consistently emphasized the "critical requirement for church leaders and major superiors to be held accountable for negligence and cover-up."
Path Ahead
The representative revealed they informed the Pope at the beginning of their discussion: "This represents as much a challenge for him to participate in a conversation as it was for us."
After the encounter, they voiced hope 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 establishing a connection and continuing to build that relationship is a move in the correct path," Hickey commented.
Hickey added that they told with the pontiff: "Even though it's a dark chapter, I feel like we can alter how the story ends - he appreciated that."
