People who endured abuse by Catholic clergy have expressed renewed hope after their first encounter with Pope Leo at the Holy See.
The board president, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, commented that the Pope's choice to meet with them so early in his papacy sent a strong message about his commitment to tackling the problem.
Worldwide Strict Approach Pushed
The group is advocating for a worldwide strict approach that would defrock any priest who confesses to or is found guilty of sexually abusing a minor. This approach has already been adopted in the US.
The Pontiff recognized that there is "resistance in some parts of the globe" to this initiative, according to Hickey.
"Everyone was practical when we recognized that there is resistance," Hickey remarked.
Inherited Challenge
The new Pope, who assumed the position in spring, has inherited this persistent issue that has plagued the Church for many years.
Previous efforts to address the situation included an historic meeting on paedophilia within the Church and revisions to church laws to explicitly criminalize sexual abuse.
Deeply Felt Link
For Hickey, who prefers gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the measure is personal. The Canadian activist revealed they were victimized by a clergy member who was later transferred between different parishes.
"Hopefully this will set the tone for his leadership, because we aim to work with him," they expressed. "Both sides share the same goal, we want to eliminate clergy abuse."
Historic Encounter
Seven members of the coalition, which includes victims and advocates from more than 30 countries, engaged with the Pope in his official residence.
The discussion, initially planned for a brief period, lasted to a full hour, during which the religious leader "mostly listened to us," according to Hickey.
The pontiff was characterized as "quite empathetic" when listening to the account of a female survivor victimized at a Catholic residential school for Indigenous children in Canada.
They noted the Pope was "compassionate" about their own story and seemed "modest, humorous, and very down to earth."
"Victims have consistently sought a voice in discussions 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."
Church Regulations Reforms
The organization is advocating that revisions to canon law will facilitate the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.
They have consulted specialists and gathered documents that they will present to the pontiff.
"He seemed engaged in reviewing it," they remarked.
Accountability Emphasized
A recently released church-ordered report highlighted the "importance of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or removal of religious officials or personnel in cases of misconduct or failure to act."
The report also noted that victims consistently emphasized the "urgent need for church leaders and major superiors to be made responsible for inaction and cover-up."
Moving Forward
Hickey shared they told the pontiff at the start of their meeting: "This is as much a risk for him to engage in a dialogue as it was for us."
Following the encounter, they voiced hope for progress.
"We understand it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the conclusion, coming together and establishing a relationship and continuing to build that relationship is a step in the correct path," Hickey stated.
Hickey concluded that they shared with the pontiff: "Even though it's a dark chapter, I believe like we can alter how the narrative ends - he valued that."
