People who endured abuse by Catholic clergy have expressed renewed hope after their first encounter with Pope Leo at the Vatican.
Gemma Hickey, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, stated that the Pope's decision to engage with them so early in his papacy spoke volumes about his dedication to tackling the problem.
Worldwide Zero-Tolerance Policy Advocated
The group is pushing for a global zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any clergy member who admits to or is proven of abusing a minor. This policy has been implemented in the United States.
The Pontiff 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," they stated.
Legacy Issue
The new Pope, who took the role in May, has taken on this persistent issue that has plagued the Catholic Church for decades.
Earlier attempts to resolve the problem included an historic summit on child abuse within the institution and revisions to church laws to explicitly criminalize abuse.
Personal Link
For the representative, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the policy is deeply meaningful. The Canadian activist shared they were victimized by a priest who was subsequently transferred between various churches.
"Hopefully this will set the tone for his papacy, because we aim to collaborate with him," they expressed. "Both sides share the same goal, we want to end clergy abuse."
Significant Encounter
Seven representatives of the organization, which includes victims and advocates from over thirty countries, met with the Pope in his official residence.
The meeting, originally scheduled for a brief period, lasted to a sixty minutes, during which the religious leader "primarily heard to us," according to the representative.
The pontiff was described as "very understanding" when listening to the account of a female survivor abused at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in North America.
They noted the Pope was "compassionate" about their personal experience and seemed "modest, funny, and approachable."
"Survivors have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't feel like he was giving us lip service," Hickey commented. "I believed like he was genuine, practical, and very open and keen to collaborate with us."
Canon Law Reforms
The group is hoping that changes to canon law will facilitate the adoption of the strict approach globally.
They have spoken with specialists and compiled materials that they plan to present to Pope Leo.
"He appeared interested in reviewing it," they noted.
Accountability Highlighted
A recently released Vatican-commissioned document highlighted the "importance of a efficient process for the resignation and/or dismissal of religious officials or personnel in cases of abuse or negligence."
The report also noted that victims repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for bishops and major superiors to be made responsible for inaction and concealment."
Moving Forward
Hickey shared they informed the pontiff at the start of their discussion: "This represents as much a risk for him to engage in a conversation as it was for us."
Following the encounter, Hickey voiced optimism for progress.
"We realise it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the conclusion, coming together and establishing a connection and continuing to build that relationship is a step in the correct path," they commented.
They concluded that they told with the pontiff: "Just because it's a difficult period, I believe like we can change how the story concludes - he appreciated that."
