People who experienced abuse by church officials have voiced renewed hope following their first meeting with the new Pope at the Vatican.
Gemma Hickey, who leads the anti-abuse organization, stated that the Pope's choice to engage with them so early in his papacy spoke volumes about his dedication to tackling the problem.
Worldwide Zero-Tolerance Policy Pushed
The organization is pushing for a global zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any clergy member who admits to or is found guilty of abusing a minor. This policy has already been adopted in the United States.
The Pope recognized that there is "opposition in certain regions of the globe" to this proposal, according to Hickey.
"Everyone was practical when we recognized that there is pushback," they stated.
Inherited Issue
The current pontiff, who took the position in spring, has taken on this persistent issue that has plagued the Church for many years.
Earlier attempts to resolve the situation included an unprecedented meeting on paedophilia within the institution and changes to canon law to clearly outlaw sexual abuse.
Personal Connection
For Hickey, who prefers they/them pronouns, the campaign for global implementation of the policy is deeply meaningful. The North American activist shared they were victimized by a clergy member who was subsequently moved between different parishes.
"Hopefully this will set the tone for his leadership, because we want to collaborate with him," they stated. "Both sides share the common objective, we seek to end clergy abuse."
Historic Meeting
Multiple members of the organization, which represents victims and supporters from more than 30 countries, met with the Pope in his Vatican office.
The meeting, initially planned for 20 minutes, extended to a full hour, during which the Pope "mostly listened to us," according to the representative.
The pontiff was characterized as "very understanding" when hearing the account of a female survivor abused at a church-run institution for native youth in Canada.
They added the leader was "tender" about their own experience and appeared "very humble, funny, and approachable."
"Survivors have long wanted a voice in discussions and I didn't feel like he was making empty promises," they commented. "I felt like he was genuine, realistic, and receptive and keen to collaborate with us."
Church Regulations Reforms
The organization is advocating that changes to church regulations will facilitate the adoption of the strict approach globally.
They have spoken with specialists and compiled documents that they will present to the pontiff.
"He appeared interested in looking at it," Hickey noted.
Responsibility Highlighted
A recent church-ordered report emphasized the "necessity of a streamlined protocol for the resignation and/or dismissal of religious officials or personnel in cases of misconduct or failure to act."
The report also noted that victims consistently emphasized the "urgent need for bishops and senior officials to be held accountable for inaction and concealment."
Moving Forward
The representative revealed they informed the pontiff at the beginning of their meeting: "This represents as much a risk for him to participate in a conversation as it was for us."
Following the encounter, Hickey expressed optimism for future change.
"We realise it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the end of the day, uniting and establishing a relationship and persisting to strengthen that bond is a step in the correct path," Hickey stated.
Hickey concluded that they told with the pontiff: "Even though it's a dark chapter, I believe like we can change how the narrative concludes - he valued that."
