Individuals who endured abuse by church officials have voiced renewed hope following their initial meeting with the new Pope at the Vatican.
The board president, heading the anti-abuse organization, commented that the Pope's decision to engage with them so early in his papacy sent a strong message about his dedication to tackling the issue.
Worldwide Zero-Tolerance Policy Pushed
The group is pushing for a global strict approach that would defrock any priest who admits to or is proven of sexually abusing a minor. This approach has already been adopted in the US.
The Pope acknowledged that there is "resistance in some parts of the world" to this initiative, according to Hickey.
"Everyone was practical when we acknowledged that there is resistance," Hickey stated.
Inherited Issue
The new Pope, who assumed the role in spring, has inherited this persistent issue that has haunted the Catholic Church for decades.
Previous efforts to address the problem included an historic meeting on child abuse within the Church and revisions to canon law to explicitly criminalize abuse.
Deeply Felt Connection
For the representative, who uses they/them pronouns, the campaign for global implementation of the policy is deeply meaningful. The Canadian advocate revealed they were abused by a clergy member who was later transferred between different parishes.
"We trust this will set the tone for his papacy, because we aim to work with him," Hickey expressed. "We have the same goal, we seek to end abuse by religious officials."
Historic Meeting
Seven members of the organization, which includes victims and supporters from more than 30 countries, engaged with the Pontiff in his official residence.
The discussion, initially planned for a brief period, lasted to a full hour, during which the Pope "primarily heard to us," according to Hickey.
The pontiff was described as "very understanding" when hearing the account of a woman abused at a church-run institution for native youth in Canada.
They noted the leader was "compassionate" about their own experience and seemed "modest, funny, and approachable."
"Survivors have long wanted a voice in discussions and I didn't feel like he was giving us lip service," Hickey commented. "I felt like he was genuine, realistic, and receptive and keen to collaborate with us."
Church Regulations Changes
The group is hoping that changes to canon law will enable the implementation of the strict approach worldwide.
They have consulted specialists and compiled materials that they will present to Pope Leo.
"He appeared interested in reviewing it," Hickey noted.
Responsibility Highlighted
A recently released church-ordered document highlighted the "necessity of a efficient process for the resignation and/or dismissal of religious officials or staff in cases of misconduct or failure to act."
The report also noted that survivors consistently emphasized the "critical requirement for church leaders and major superiors to be made responsible for negligence and cover-up."
Moving Forward
The representative revealed they told the Pope at the start of their meeting: "This represents as much a challenge for him to engage in a conversation as it was for us."
After the encounter, Hickey expressed hope for future change.
"We understand it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the conclusion, coming together and establishing a connection and continuing to build that relationship is a move in the correct path," they stated.
Hickey added that they shared with the pontiff: "Just because it's a difficult period, I feel like we can change how the story ends - he valued that."
