🔗 Share this article

People who experienced sexual abuse by Catholic clergy have expressed fresh optimism after their first meeting with the new Pope at the Vatican.

The board president, who leads Ending Clergy Abuse, stated that the pontiff's decision to engage with them so soon in his papacy sent a strong message about his commitment to addressing the problem.

Global Strict Approach Advocated

The organization is pushing for a global zero-tolerance policy that would permanently remove any clergy member who confesses to or is found guilty of abusing a child. This policy has already been adopted in the US.

The Pope recognized that there is "resistance in some parts of the globe" to this proposal, according to Hickey.

"We were all being realistic when we acknowledged that there is pushback," Hickey remarked.

Legacy Challenge

The current pontiff, who took the role in May, has inherited this longstanding issue that has haunted the Church for many years.

Earlier attempts to address the situation included an unprecedented summit on child abuse within the Church and changes to canon law to explicitly criminalize abuse.

Deeply Felt Link

For the representative, who prefers gender-neutral pronouns, the campaign for global implementation of the policy is deeply meaningful. The Canadian activist revealed they were abused by a clergy member who was later transferred between different parishes.

"Hopefully this will set the tone for his leadership, because we aim to work with him," they stated. "Both sides share the same goal, we seek to end clergy abuse."

Significant Encounter

Multiple members of the organization, which includes survivors and advocates from over thirty nations, engaged with the Pontiff in his Vatican office.

The discussion, originally scheduled for 20 minutes, lasted to a full hour, during which the religious leader "primarily heard to us," according to the representative.

The Pope was described as "quite empathetic" when hearing the story of a woman victimized at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in Canada.

They added the Pope was "tender" about their own story and appeared "very humble, funny, and approachable."

"Victims have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't feel like he was making empty promises," Hickey stated. "I believed like he was genuine, realistic, and very open and eager to collaborate with us."

Canon Law Changes

The organization is hoping that revisions to church regulations will facilitate the adoption of the zero-tolerance policy globally.

They have spoken with specialists and compiled documents that they plan to submit to the pontiff.

"He seemed interested in reviewing it," Hickey noted.

Accountability Emphasized

A recently released church-ordered report highlighted the "importance of a efficient process for the resignation and/or dismissal of Church leaders or staff in cases of misconduct or negligence."

The report also noted that survivors consistently emphasized the "critical requirement for bishops and senior officials to be made responsible for negligence and concealment."

Moving Forward

The representative revealed they informed the pontiff at the start of their meeting: "This is as much a risk for him to engage in a conversation as it was for us."

Following the meeting, they voiced hope for future change.

"We understand it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the conclusion, uniting and building a connection and continuing to strengthen that relationship is a step in the right direction," Hickey commented.

They concluded that they told with Pope Leo: "Even though it's a difficult period, I feel like we can change how the story concludes - he appreciated that."