Individuals who experienced sexual abuse by church officials have expressed fresh optimism following their first encounter with the new Pope at the Vatican.
Gemma Hickey, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, commented that the pontiff's decision to meet with them so early in his papacy sent a strong message about his commitment to tackling the issue.
Global Strict Approach Pushed
The group is advocating for a worldwide zero-tolerance policy that would permanently remove any clergy member who admits to or is found guilty of abusing a minor. This policy has been implemented in the US.
The Pope acknowledged that there is "opposition in certain regions of the globe" to this proposal, according to the representative.
"Everyone was practical when we recognized that there is pushback," Hickey stated.
Legacy Challenge
The current pontiff, who assumed the role in May, has taken on this longstanding issue that has plagued the Church for many years.
Previous efforts to resolve the situation included an unprecedented summit on paedophilia within the Church and revisions to canon law to clearly outlaw sexual abuse.
Deeply Felt Link
For Hickey, who prefers gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for worldwide adoption of the measure is personal. The Canadian activist shared they were abused by a priest who was later transferred between various churches.
"Hopefully this will set the tone for his leadership, because we want to work with him," they stated. "We have the common objective, we want to end clergy abuse."
Significant Meeting
Multiple representatives of the coalition, which includes survivors and supporters from over thirty countries, engaged with the Pontiff in his official residence.
The meeting, initially planned for 20 minutes, lasted to a full hour, during which the Pope "mostly listened to us," according to the representative.
The pontiff was characterized as "quite empathetic" when hearing the story of a woman abused at a church-run institution for native youth in North America.
They added the Pope was "tender" about their own story and appeared "modest, funny, and very down to earth."
"Victims have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't feel like he was making empty promises," Hickey stated. "I felt like he was sincere, practical, and receptive and eager to work with us."
Canon Law Changes
The organization is hoping that changes to church regulations will facilitate the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy globally.
They have spoken with specialists and gathered materials that they will present to the pontiff.
"He appeared engaged in reviewing it," Hickey remarked.
Responsibility Emphasized
A recent church-ordered document emphasized the "necessity of a efficient process for the stepping down and/or removal of religious officials or staff in cases of abuse or negligence."
The document also pointed out that survivors repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for church leaders and senior officials to be held accountable for negligence and concealment."
Moving Forward
The representative shared they told the Pope at the beginning of their discussion: "This represents as much a challenge for him to engage in a conversation as it was for us."
Following the meeting, they expressed optimism for progress.
"We realise it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the end of the day, uniting and building a relationship and continuing to strengthen that bond is a step in the correct path," they stated.
They concluded that they shared with the pontiff: "Just because it's a dark chapter, I feel like we can change how the story concludes - he valued that."
