Individuals who experienced abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced fresh optimism following their first meeting with the new Pope at the Holy See.
The board president, who leads the anti-abuse organization, stated that the pontiff's choice to meet with them so early in his leadership sent a strong message about his dedication to addressing the issue.
Worldwide Zero-Tolerance Policy Pushed
The organization is pushing for a global zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any priest who admits to or is found guilty of sexually abusing a child. This policy has been implemented in the US.
The Pope recognized 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 resistance," they remarked.
Inherited Issue
The current pontiff, who assumed the position in spring, has taken on this longstanding problem that has plagued the Church for decades.
Previous efforts to address the problem included an historic summit on paedophilia within the institution and changes to church laws to explicitly criminalize abuse.
Personal Link
For the representative, who prefers gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for worldwide adoption of the measure is personal. The North American advocate revealed they were abused by a priest who was later moved between different parishes.
"Hopefully this will set the tone for his leadership, because we aim to collaborate with him," they stated. "Both sides share the same goal, we seek to end clergy abuse."
Significant Encounter
Seven members of the organization, which includes victims and supporters from more than 30 nations, met with the Pope in his Vatican office.
The discussion, originally scheduled for 20 minutes, extended to a full hour, during which the Pope "mostly listened to us," according to the representative.
The pontiff was described as "quite empathetic" when hearing the story of a female survivor victimized at a Catholic residential school for native youth in North America.
They added the Pope was "tender" about their own experience and appeared "modest, humorous, and approachable."
"Survivors have consistently sought a seat at the table and I didn't feel like he was making empty promises," Hickey commented. "I felt like he was sincere, realistic, and very open and eager to collaborate with us."
Church Regulations Reforms
The organization is hoping that changes to church regulations will enable the adoption of the zero-tolerance policy globally.
They have spoken with experts and gathered documents that they will present to the pontiff.
"He seemed engaged in looking at it," they noted.
Accountability Highlighted
A recent Vatican-commissioned document emphasized the "importance of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or removal of Church leaders or staff in cases of misconduct or failure to act."
The report also pointed out that victims repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for bishops and senior officials to be held accountable for inaction and cover-up."
Moving Forward
The representative revealed they told the pontiff at the start of their discussion: "This is as much a risk for him to participate in a conversation as it was for us."
Following the meeting, they voiced hope for future change.
"We understand it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the conclusion, uniting and establishing a connection and persisting to build that bond is a move in the right direction," Hickey stated.
Hickey concluded that they told with Pope Leo: "Even though it's a dark chapter, I believe like we can alter how the story concludes - he appreciated that."
