People who experienced abuse by Catholic clergy have expressed renewed hope after their initial encounter with Pope Leo at the Holy See.
Gemma Hickey, who leads Ending Clergy Abuse, commented that the pontiff's choice to meet with them so soon in his papacy sent a strong message about his dedication to addressing the problem.
Global Zero-Tolerance Approach Advocated
The group is advocating for a global zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any priest who admits to or is proven of abusing a child. This approach has already been adopted in the US.
The Pontiff acknowledged that there is "opposition in certain regions of the world" to this proposal, according to Hickey.
"Everyone was practical when we acknowledged that there is resistance," they remarked.
Legacy Issue
The new Pope, who assumed the position in May, has inherited this persistent issue that has haunted the Catholic Church for decades.
Previous efforts to resolve the situation included an historic summit on child abuse within the institution 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 personal. The North American activist shared they were victimized by a clergy member who was subsequently moved between different parishes.
"We trust this will establish the direction for his papacy, because we aim to collaborate with him," Hickey stated. "Both sides share the same goal, we seek to eliminate abuse by religious officials."
Historic Meeting
Seven members of the coalition, which represents survivors and advocates from over thirty countries, met with the Pontiff in his official residence.
The discussion, originally scheduled for a brief period, lasted to a full hour, during which the religious leader "primarily heard to us," according to Hickey.
The pontiff was characterized as "quite empathetic" when hearing the account of a female survivor abused at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in Canada.
They noted the leader was "tender" about their own experience and appeared "very humble, humorous, and approachable."
"Survivors have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't feel like he was making empty promises," Hickey commented. "I felt like he was genuine, realistic, and very open and keen to work with us."
Canon Law Changes
The group is advocating that revisions to church regulations will facilitate the implementation of the strict approach worldwide.
They have spoken with specialists and compiled materials that they plan to submit to the pontiff.
"He appeared engaged in looking at it," Hickey remarked.
Accountability Emphasized
A recent church-ordered document highlighted the "necessity of a efficient process for the stepping down and/or dismissal of religious officials or staff in cases of misconduct or negligence."
The document also noted that survivors consistently emphasized the "critical requirement for bishops and senior officials to be held accountable for inaction and cover-up."
Path Ahead
Hickey shared they informed the pontiff at the start of their meeting: "This is as much a risk for him to participate in a conversation as it was for us."
Following the meeting, Hickey voiced hope for future change.
"We understand it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the conclusion, coming together and building a connection and persisting to build that bond is a step in the correct path," they stated.
They concluded that they told with the pontiff: "Just because it's a dark chapter, I feel like we can change how the story ends - he valued that."
