People who experienced sexual abuse by church officials have voiced fresh optimism following their first meeting with the new Pope at the Vatican.
The board president, who leads the anti-abuse organization, commented that the pontiff's decision to engage with them so early in his papacy sent a strong message about his commitment to addressing the issue.
Worldwide Strict Approach Advocated
The group is pushing for a global zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any priest who confesses to or is proven of abusing a minor. This policy has been implemented in the US.
The Pontiff acknowledged 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 resistance," they remarked.
Inherited Challenge
The new Pope, who assumed the role in May, has taken on this persistent issue that has plagued the Church for many years.
Earlier attempts to resolve the situation included an historic summit on child abuse within the institution and revisions to church laws to explicitly criminalize sexual abuse.
Deeply Felt Connection
For the representative, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the policy is personal. The North American activist revealed they were victimized by a priest who was later transferred between different parishes.
"Hopefully this will set the tone for his papacy, because we aim to collaborate with him," Hickey expressed. "Both sides share the same goal, we want to end clergy abuse."
Significant Meeting
Multiple members of the organization, which includes survivors and advocates from more than 30 nations, engaged with the Pontiff in his Vatican office.
The discussion, initially planned for 20 minutes, extended to a full hour, during which the Pope "primarily heard to us," according to the representative.
The Pope was characterized as "quite empathetic" when hearing the story of a woman abused at a Catholic residential school for Indigenous children in Canada.
They added the Pope was "tender" about their personal story and appeared "very humble, funny, and approachable."
"Survivors have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't feel like he was giving us lip service," they stated. "I felt like he was sincere, practical, and very open and keen to work with us."
Canon Law Changes
The group is hoping that revisions to canon law will facilitate the implementation of the strict approach globally.
They have spoken with experts and compiled materials that they plan to submit to the pontiff.
"He seemed interested in reviewing it," Hickey remarked.
Responsibility Highlighted
A recent Vatican-commissioned document emphasized the "necessity of a streamlined protocol for the resignation and/or removal of religious officials or staff in cases of abuse or negligence."
The report also pointed out that victims repeatedly stressed the "urgent need for bishops and senior officials to be held accountable for inaction and cover-up."
Moving Forward
The representative shared they told the Pope at the start of their meeting: "This is as much a challenge for him to engage in a dialogue as it was for us."
Following the encounter, they voiced hope for future change.
"We understand it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the conclusion, coming together and building a relationship and persisting to strengthen that bond is a move in the correct path," Hickey commented.
They concluded that they shared with the pontiff: "Even though it's a difficult period, I feel like we can change how the narrative ends - he valued that."
