Individuals who experienced abuse by church officials have voiced renewed hope after their initial meeting with Pope Leo at the Holy See.
Gemma Hickey, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, commented that the pontiff's decision to engage with them so soon in his papacy sent a strong message about his commitment to addressing the issue.
Global Zero-Tolerance Policy Pushed
The group is pushing for a worldwide strict approach that would defrock any clergy member who confesses to or is proven of abusing a child. This policy has been implemented in the United States.
The Pope recognized that there is "opposition in some parts of the world" to this proposal, according to Hickey.
"We were all being realistic when we acknowledged that there is pushback," they remarked.
Inherited Issue
The new Pope, who took the position in spring, has taken on this persistent problem that has haunted the Catholic Church for decades.
Previous efforts to resolve the situation included an historic meeting on paedophilia within the Church and changes to canon law to clearly outlaw abuse.
Deeply Felt Link
For the representative, who prefers they/them pronouns, the campaign for global implementation of the policy is deeply meaningful. The Canadian activist shared they were victimized by a clergy member who was subsequently transferred between various churches.
"We trust this will set the tone for his leadership, because we aim to work with him," they stated. "We have the same goal, we want to eliminate clergy abuse."
Historic Encounter
Seven members of the coalition, which represents survivors and advocates from more than 30 countries, met with the Pope in his official residence.
The meeting, originally scheduled for a brief period, extended to a full hour, during which the religious leader "mostly listened to us," according to the representative.
The pontiff was described as "very understanding" when hearing the story of a woman victimized at a church-run institution for native youth in Canada.
They noted the Pope was "tender" about their personal experience and appeared "very humble, funny, and approachable."
"Survivors have long wanted a seat at the table and I didn't perceive like he was making empty promises," they commented. "I believed like he was genuine, realistic, and receptive and keen to collaborate with us."
Canon Law Changes
The organization is advocating that revisions to canon law will enable the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy globally.
They have consulted specialists and gathered materials that they plan to submit to Pope Leo.
"He seemed interested in reviewing it," they noted.
Accountability Emphasized
A recent Vatican-commissioned document highlighted the "necessity of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or dismissal of Church leaders or staff in cases of abuse or failure to act."
The document also pointed out that victims consistently emphasized the "urgent need for church leaders and senior officials to be held accountable for negligence and cover-up."
Moving Forward
The representative revealed they told the Pope at the beginning of their discussion: "This is as much a challenge for him to participate in a conversation as it was for us."
After the meeting, Hickey voiced optimism for future change.
"We understand it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the end of the day, coming together and building a connection and continuing to strengthen that bond is a move in the correct path," they stated.
They added that they shared with Pope Leo: "Just because it's a difficult period, I believe like we can change how the story concludes - he valued that."