People who experienced abuse by church officials have voiced fresh optimism following their first encounter with the new Pope at the Vatican.
Gemma Hickey, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, stated that the pontiff's decision to meet with them so soon in his papacy sent a strong message about his dedication to tackling the issue.
Worldwide Strict Approach Pushed
The group is advocating for a global strict approach that would defrock any priest who admits to or is found guilty of abusing a child. This approach has already been adopted in the US.
The Pope acknowledged that there is "opposition in certain regions of the globe" to this proposal, according to Hickey.
"Everyone was practical when we acknowledged that there is resistance," they stated.
Legacy Challenge
The current pontiff, who took the role in May, has inherited this persistent issue that has haunted the Catholic Church for decades.
Earlier attempts to address the problem included an historic meeting on paedophilia within the Church and changes to church laws to clearly outlaw sexual abuse.
Deeply Felt Connection
For Hickey, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, the campaign for global implementation of the policy is deeply meaningful. The North American advocate revealed they were abused by a priest who was subsequently moved between different parishes.
"We trust this will establish the direction for his papacy, because we want to collaborate with him," they stated. "We have the same goal, we want to eliminate clergy abuse."
Historic Meeting
Seven members of the organization, which includes survivors and supporters from more than 30 countries, engaged with the Pontiff in his official residence.
The discussion, initially planned for a brief period, lasted 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 listening to the account of a woman victimized at a Catholic residential school for Indigenous children in Canada.
Hickey added the leader was "compassionate" about their personal story and seemed "modest, funny, and very down to earth."
"Survivors have long wanted a voice in discussions and I didn't feel like he was giving us lip service," they stated. "I believed like he was sincere, practical, and very open and keen to collaborate with us."
Church Regulations Changes
The organization is hoping that revisions to canon law will enable the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy globally.
They have consulted specialists and compiled documents that they plan to present to the pontiff.
"He seemed interested in reviewing it," they remarked.
Accountability Emphasized
A recent church-ordered document highlighted the "importance of a streamlined protocol for the resignation and/or dismissal of Church leaders or personnel in cases of misconduct or failure to act."
The document also pointed out that survivors consistently emphasized the "critical requirement 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 beginning of their meeting: "This is as much a challenge for him to participate in a dialogue as it was for us."
Following the encounter, they voiced optimism for future change.
"We understand it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the conclusion, uniting and establishing a relationship and persisting to build that relationship is a move in the correct path," they commented.
They added that they shared with the pontiff: "Even though it's a difficult period, I feel like we can change how the narrative ends - he appreciated that."
