People who experienced sexual abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced fresh optimism after their first encounter with the new Pope at the Holy See.
The board president, heading the anti-abuse organization, stated that the pontiff's decision to meet with them so soon in his papacy spoke volumes about his dedication to tackling the issue.
Worldwide Zero-Tolerance Policy Advocated
The organization is advocating for a global zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any clergy member who confesses to or is found guilty of abusing a child. This approach has already been adopted in the US.
The Pope recognized that there is "resistance in some parts of the globe" to this initiative, according to the representative.
"Everyone was practical when we acknowledged that there is pushback," Hickey remarked.
Inherited Issue
The new Pope, who took the role in May, has inherited this persistent issue that has plagued the Church for many years.
Previous efforts to resolve the situation included an unprecedented meeting on child abuse within the institution and revisions to canon law to clearly outlaw sexual abuse.
Personal Connection
For the representative, who prefers they/them pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the policy is deeply meaningful. The North American activist revealed they were victimized by a clergy member who was later transferred between various churches.
"We trust this will establish the direction for his leadership, because we want to collaborate with him," Hickey stated. "Both sides share the same goal, we seek to end clergy abuse."
Significant Meeting
Multiple members of the coalition, which includes survivors and advocates from over thirty countries, met 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 "primarily heard to us," according to the representative.
The pontiff was characterized as "quite empathetic" when hearing the account of a female survivor abused at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in Canada.
Hickey noted the leader was "compassionate" about their own story and appeared "very humble, humorous, and approachable."
"Victims have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't feel like he was giving us lip service," Hickey stated. "I felt like he was genuine, practical, and receptive and keen to work with us."
Church Regulations Reforms
The organization is advocating that revisions to canon law will enable the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.
They have spoken with specialists and compiled materials that they plan to present to the pontiff.
"He appeared interested in looking at it," they noted.
Accountability Emphasized
A recent Vatican-commissioned report highlighted the "necessity of a efficient process for the stepping down and/or removal of Church leaders or personnel in cases of misconduct or negligence."
The document also pointed out that survivors consistently emphasized the "urgent need for church leaders and major superiors to be held accountable for negligence and cover-up."
Path Ahead
Hickey shared they informed the Pope at the beginning of their discussion: "This represents as much a risk for him to engage in a conversation as it was for us."
Following the meeting, Hickey expressed optimism for progress.
"We understand it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the conclusion, uniting and establishing a connection and continuing to strengthen that bond is a step in the right direction," they commented.
Hickey added that they told with the pontiff: "Just because it's a difficult period, I believe like we can alter how the story ends - he valued that."
