🔗 Share this article

People who endured sexual abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced fresh optimism after their first meeting with Pope Leo at the Holy See.

The board president, heading the anti-abuse organization, commented that the pontiff's choice to engage with them so early in his papacy spoke volumes about his dedication to tackling the problem.

Global Zero-Tolerance Approach Pushed

The group is pushing for a global zero-tolerance policy that would permanently remove any priest who admits to or is proven of sexually abusing a minor. This policy has already been adopted in the United States.

The Pope acknowledged that there is "opposition in certain regions of the world" to this proposal, according to Hickey.

"Everyone was practical when we acknowledged that there is resistance," they remarked.

Legacy Challenge

The new Pope, who assumed the position in May, has taken on this persistent issue that has haunted the Catholic Church for decades.

Earlier attempts to resolve the situation included an unprecedented meeting on paedophilia within the Church and revisions to canon law to clearly outlaw abuse.

Personal Link

For the representative, who prefers they/them pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the measure is personal. The Canadian activist shared they were victimized by a priest who was later transferred between various churches.

"Hopefully this will set the tone for his papacy, because we aim to collaborate with him," they stated. "We have the same goal, we want to eliminate clergy abuse."

Significant Encounter

Seven representatives of the coalition, which represents survivors and advocates from over thirty nations, met with the Pontiff in his Vatican office.

The meeting, originally scheduled for 20 minutes, lasted to a full hour, during which the religious leader "mostly listened to us," according to Hickey.

The pontiff was described as "very understanding" when hearing the account of a woman abused at a Catholic residential school for native youth in North America.

They noted the Pope was "compassionate" about their own story and appeared "very humble, humorous, and very down to earth."

"Survivors have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't perceive like he was giving us lip service," they commented. "I believed like he was sincere, realistic, and very open and eager to collaborate with us."

Canon Law Changes

The group is hoping that revisions to church regulations will facilitate the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.

They have consulted experts and compiled materials that they will submit to the pontiff.

"He seemed engaged in reviewing it," Hickey remarked.

Accountability Emphasized

A recently released Vatican-commissioned document highlighted the "importance of a efficient process for the resignation and/or removal of religious officials or personnel in cases of misconduct or negligence."

The document also noted that victims consistently emphasized the "urgent need for bishops and major superiors to be made responsible for negligence and concealment."

Moving Forward

Hickey revealed they informed the Pope at the beginning of their discussion: "This is as much a risk for him to engage in a conversation as it was for us."

After the encounter, Hickey expressed optimism for progress.

"We understand it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the end of the day, coming together and building a connection and continuing to build that bond is a step in the correct path," they stated.

They added that they told with the pontiff: "Just because it's a dark chapter, I believe like we can alter how the narrative ends - he appreciated that."