People who endured abuse by church officials have expressed renewed hope after their initial meeting with the new Pope at the Vatican.
The board president, heading the anti-abuse organization, stated that the pontiff's decision to engage with them so early in his papacy sent a strong message about his commitment to addressing the problem.
Worldwide Zero-Tolerance Policy Pushed
The organization is pushing for a worldwide strict approach that would defrock any clergy member who confesses to or is proven of sexually abusing a minor. This policy has been implemented in the United States.
The Pope recognized that there is "opposition in certain regions of the globe" to this initiative, according to the representative.
"We were all being realistic when we recognized that there is pushback," they remarked.
Legacy Challenge
The new Pope, who took the position in spring, has inherited this longstanding issue that has plagued the Church for many years.
Previous efforts to resolve the situation included an historic meeting on paedophilia within the institution and revisions to canon law to explicitly criminalize sexual abuse.
Personal Link
For the representative, who uses they/them pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the policy is personal. The North American activist revealed they were victimized by a clergy member who was later moved between various churches.
"Hopefully this will set the tone for his leadership, because we aim to work with him," they expressed. "We have the same goal, we seek to end clergy abuse."
Significant Encounter
Seven members of the coalition, which includes survivors and supporters from more than 30 nations, engaged with the Pope in his Vatican office.
The discussion, originally scheduled for a brief period, lasted to a full hour, during which the Pope "mostly listened to us," according to Hickey.
The pontiff was characterized as "very understanding" when hearing the account of a woman victimized at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in Canada.
Hickey noted the Pope was "tender" about their own story and seemed "modest, humorous, and approachable."
"Survivors have consistently sought a seat at the table and I didn't perceive like he was giving us lip service," they stated. "I felt like he was genuine, practical, and receptive and keen to collaborate with us."
Church Regulations Changes
The group is hoping that revisions to church regulations will enable the adoption of the strict approach globally.
They have consulted specialists and gathered materials that they will submit to the pontiff.
"He appeared engaged in looking at it," they remarked.
Accountability Highlighted
A recently released Vatican-commissioned 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 document also noted that survivors repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for church leaders and major superiors to be made responsible for inaction and cover-up."
Path Ahead
The representative revealed they told the pontiff at the beginning of their meeting: "This represents as much a challenge for him to engage in a conversation as it was for us."
After the meeting, Hickey voiced hope for progress.
"We understand it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the end of the day, uniting and building a relationship and persisting to strengthen that bond is a step in the right direction," Hickey stated.
Hickey concluded that they told with the pontiff: "Even though it's a difficult period, I feel like we can alter how the narrative ends - he appreciated that."
