People who endured sexual abuse by church officials have voiced fresh optimism after their first encounter with the new Pope at the Vatican.
Gemma Hickey, heading the anti-abuse organization, commented that the pontiff's choice to engage with them so early in his papacy spoke volumes about his commitment to tackling the problem.
Global Strict Approach Pushed
The group is pushing for a global zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any priest who admits to or is proven of abusing a minor. This policy has been implemented in the US.
The Pope acknowledged that there is "resistance in some parts of the world" to this proposal, according to Hickey.
"We were all being realistic when we recognized that there is pushback," they remarked.
Legacy Issue
The new Pope, who assumed the position in spring, has taken on this persistent issue that has haunted the Church for decades.
Previous efforts to resolve the problem included an historic summit on paedophilia within the institution and revisions to canon law to clearly outlaw abuse.
Personal Link
For the representative, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the measure is personal. The North American activist revealed they were abused by a priest who was subsequently moved between various churches.
"We trust this will set the tone for his leadership, because we aim to work with him," they expressed. "We have the common objective, we seek to end abuse by religious officials."
Significant Meeting
Seven members of the organization, which includes survivors and advocates from over thirty countries, engaged with the Pope in his Vatican office.
The meeting, initially planned for a brief period, lasted to a full hour, during which the religious leader "primarily heard to us," according to Hickey.
The Pope was described as "very understanding" when hearing the account of a female survivor abused at a Catholic residential school for native youth in Canada.
They noted the leader was "tender" about their own story and seemed "modest, funny, and approachable."
"Survivors have consistently sought a seat at the table and I didn't feel like he was giving us lip service," Hickey commented. "I believed like he was sincere, practical, and very open and eager to collaborate with us."
Church Regulations Changes
The group is advocating that revisions to canon law will enable the implementation of the strict approach worldwide.
They have spoken with experts and compiled documents that they will present to the pontiff.
"He seemed engaged in reviewing it," they noted.
Responsibility Emphasized
A recent Vatican-commissioned document emphasized the "necessity of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or removal of religious officials or staff in cases of abuse or failure to act."
The report also noted that survivors repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for bishops and major superiors to be made responsible for inaction and concealment."
Path Ahead
The representative revealed they informed the Pope at the start of their discussion: "This represents as much a risk for him to participate in a conversation as it was for us."
After the encounter, they expressed optimism for progress.
"We realise 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," Hickey stated.
They concluded that they told with Pope Leo: "Just because it's a difficult period, I believe like we can change how the narrative ends - he appreciated that."
