People who endured abuse by Catholic clergy have expressed renewed hope after their initial meeting with Pope Leo at the Vatican.
Gemma Hickey, who leads Ending Clergy Abuse, commented that the pontiff's decision to engage with them so early in his leadership spoke volumes about his dedication to addressing the problem.
Global Zero-Tolerance Approach Advocated
The group is advocating for a worldwide strict approach that would defrock any priest who admits to or is found guilty of sexually abusing a minor. This policy has been implemented in the United States.
The Pontiff acknowledged that there is "resistance in certain regions of the world" to this proposal, according to Hickey.
"We were all being realistic when we recognized that there is pushback," they remarked.
Legacy Issue
The new Pope, who assumed the role in May, has taken on this longstanding issue that has plagued the Church for many years.
Earlier attempts to resolve the situation included an unprecedented meeting on child abuse within the Church and revisions to canon law to clearly outlaw abuse.
Personal Connection
For the representative, who uses they/them pronouns, the campaign for global implementation of the measure is deeply meaningful. The Canadian activist shared they were victimized by a clergy member who was later moved between various churches.
"We trust this will set the tone for his papacy, because we aim to work with him," Hickey stated. "Both sides share the same goal, we want to end abuse by religious officials."
Significant Meeting
Multiple members of the coalition, which includes survivors and supporters from more than 30 nations, engaged with the Pope in his Vatican office.
The meeting, originally scheduled for 20 minutes, lasted to a full hour, during which the Pope "mostly listened to us," according to Hickey.
The Pope was described as "very understanding" when listening to the story of a woman abused at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in Canada.
Hickey noted the Pope was "tender" about their own experience and seemed "very humble, funny, and very down to earth."
"Survivors have consistently sought a seat at the table and I didn't perceive like he was giving us lip service," they commented. "I believed like he was sincere, practical, and receptive and keen to collaborate with us."
Canon Law Changes
The organization is advocating that revisions to church regulations will facilitate the implementation of the strict approach globally.
They have spoken with experts and gathered documents that they plan to present to the pontiff.
"He appeared engaged in reviewing it," they noted.
Responsibility Highlighted
A recent church-ordered document emphasized the "necessity of a efficient process for the resignation and/or removal of Church leaders or staff in cases of misconduct or failure to act."
The report also noted that survivors consistently emphasized the "urgent need for bishops and senior officials to be made responsible for negligence and concealment."
Moving Forward
Hickey revealed they told the pontiff at the start of their meeting: "This is as much a risk for him to participate in a dialogue as it was for us."
After the meeting, they expressed hope for progress.
"We realise it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the conclusion, uniting and building a relationship and persisting to build that bond is a move in the right direction," Hickey commented.
They concluded that they told with Pope Leo: "Just because it's a dark chapter, I believe like we can change how the narrative ends - he appreciated that."
