People who endured abuse by Catholic clergy have expressed fresh optimism after their initial encounter with the new Pope at the Holy See.
The board president, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, stated that the pontiff's choice to engage with them so early in his papacy spoke volumes about his dedication to tackling the issue.
Worldwide Strict Approach Pushed
The organization is pushing for a worldwide strict approach that would defrock any clergy member who admits to or is proven of abusing a child. This policy has been implemented 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 pushback," Hickey remarked.
Legacy Challenge
The current pontiff, who assumed the role in May, has taken on this persistent issue that has plagued the Catholic Church for decades.
Earlier attempts to address the problem included an historic summit on child abuse within the institution and changes to canon law to clearly outlaw sexual abuse.
Personal Link
For Hickey, who prefers they/them pronouns, the campaign for global implementation of the policy is deeply meaningful. The Canadian activist revealed they were abused by a priest who was later transferred between various churches.
"Hopefully this will establish the direction for his papacy, because we aim to collaborate with him," they expressed. "We have the common objective, we want to eliminate clergy abuse."
Significant Encounter
Multiple members of the organization, which includes survivors and advocates from more than 30 nations, met with the Pontiff in his official residence.
The meeting, originally scheduled for 20 minutes, extended to a full hour, during which the religious leader "primarily heard to us," according to the representative.
The Pope was described as "quite empathetic" when listening to the story of a female survivor victimized at a church-run institution for native youth in North America.
Hickey noted the Pope was "tender" about their own story and seemed "modest, humorous, and very down to earth."
"Survivors have long wanted a seat at the table and I didn't feel like he was making empty promises," they stated. "I believed like he was genuine, practical, and very open and eager to collaborate 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 will submit to the pontiff.
"He seemed engaged in reviewing it," Hickey remarked.
Accountability Highlighted
A recent church-ordered report emphasized the "importance of a efficient process for the resignation and/or removal of religious officials or personnel in cases of abuse or failure to act."
The document also noted that survivors repeatedly stressed the "urgent need for church leaders and senior officials to be made responsible for inaction and cover-up."
Path Ahead
The representative shared they informed the pontiff at the start of their discussion: "This represents as much a risk for him to engage in a dialogue as it was for us."
Following the meeting, they voiced hope for progress.
"We understand it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the end of the day, coming together and building a relationship and continuing to build that bond is a move in the right direction," they stated.
They concluded that they shared with Pope Leo: "Just because it's a dark chapter, I feel like we can change how the narrative ends - he valued that."
