People who experienced sexual abuse by Catholic clergy have expressed fresh optimism after their first meeting with the new Pope at the Holy See.
Gemma Hickey, heading the anti-abuse organization, stated that the Pope's choice to engage with them so early in his papacy spoke volumes about his commitment to tackling the issue.
Worldwide Strict Policy Advocated
The group is advocating for a global strict approach that would defrock any clergy member who confesses to or is proven of sexually abusing a minor. This policy has already been adopted in the United States.
The Pontiff acknowledged that there is "opposition in some parts of the globe" to this initiative, according to the representative.
"Everyone was practical when we acknowledged that there is pushback," they stated.
Legacy Issue
The current pontiff, who assumed the position in spring, has taken on this longstanding problem that has plagued the Catholic Church for decades.
Earlier attempts to address the situation included an historic meeting on paedophilia within the Church and changes to canon law to explicitly criminalize abuse.
Personal Link
For the representative, who prefers they/them pronouns, the campaign for worldwide adoption of the policy is personal. The North American activist shared they were abused by a priest who was subsequently moved between different parishes.
"Hopefully this will establish the direction for his leadership, because we aim to work with him," Hickey stated. "Both sides share the same goal, we want to eliminate abuse by religious officials."
Historic Meeting
Multiple representatives of the organization, which includes survivors and supporters from more than 30 nations, engaged with the Pope in his official residence.
The discussion, initially planned for 20 minutes, extended to a sixty minutes, during which the religious leader "primarily heard to us," according to the representative.
The pontiff was characterized as "very understanding" when hearing the account of a woman abused at a Catholic residential school for Indigenous children in Canada.
They noted the Pope was "tender" about their own experience and seemed "modest, funny, and approachable."
"Victims have long wanted a voice in discussions and I didn't perceive like he was giving us lip service," they stated. "I believed like he was sincere, practical, and receptive and eager to work with us."
Church Regulations Reforms
The organization is hoping that changes to canon law will enable the implementation of the strict approach worldwide.
They have consulted specialists and gathered materials that they will present to Pope Leo.
"He seemed engaged in looking at it," Hickey remarked.
Accountability Highlighted
A recent church-ordered report highlighted the "importance of a efficient process for the stepping down and/or removal of religious officials or personnel in cases of misconduct or failure to act."
The document also pointed out that victims repeatedly stressed the "urgent need for church leaders and senior officials to be held accountable for negligence and cover-up."
Moving Forward
The representative revealed they informed the pontiff at the start of their discussion: "This is as much a risk for him to engage in a conversation as it was for us."
Following the meeting, Hickey expressed hope for progress.
"We realise it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the end of the day, coming together and establishing a connection and continuing to strengthen that bond is a move in the correct path," they commented.
Hickey concluded that they told with the pontiff: "Just because it's a dark chapter, I feel like we can alter how the narrative ends - he valued that."
