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Individuals who experienced abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced fresh optimism after their initial meeting with the new Pope at the Vatican.

Gemma Hickey, heading the anti-abuse organization, commented that the pontiff's choice to engage with them so soon in his leadership spoke volumes about his dedication to tackling the problem.

Global Zero-Tolerance Approach Advocated

The organization is advocating for a global zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any clergy member who admits to or is proven of sexually abusing a child. This approach has already been adopted in the US.

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

"Everyone was practical when we recognized that there is pushback," Hickey remarked.

Inherited Challenge

The current pontiff, who assumed the position in spring, has inherited this longstanding issue that has haunted the Church for decades.

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

Deeply Felt Link

For Hickey, who uses they/them pronouns, the drive for worldwide adoption of the policy is deeply meaningful. The North American advocate shared they were abused by a clergy member who was subsequently moved between different parishes.

"Hopefully this will set the tone for his papacy, because we want to collaborate with him," they expressed. "Both sides share the common objective, we want to eliminate clergy abuse."

Historic Meeting

Seven members of the coalition, which includes survivors and advocates from over thirty countries, met with the Pope in his Vatican office.

The meeting, originally scheduled for a brief period, extended to a full hour, during which the Pope "primarily heard to us," according to the representative.

The pontiff was described as "very understanding" when hearing the story of a female survivor victimized at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in Canada.

They added the Pope was "compassionate" about their own experience and seemed "very humble, funny, and approachable."

"Victims have long wanted a seat at the table and I didn't feel like he was making empty promises," Hickey stated. "I believed like he was sincere, practical, and very open and eager to work with us."

Canon Law Reforms

The group is advocating that revisions to canon law will enable the adoption of the strict approach worldwide.

They have consulted specialists and compiled documents that they plan to submit to Pope Leo.

"He seemed engaged in looking at it," they noted.

Responsibility Emphasized

A recently released church-ordered document highlighted the "importance of a efficient process for the stepping down and/or removal of Church leaders or staff in cases of misconduct or negligence."

The report also noted that victims consistently emphasized the "critical requirement for church leaders and major superiors to be held accountable for negligence and concealment."

Moving Forward

Hickey shared they told the Pope at the beginning of their discussion: "This is as much a challenge for him to participate in a dialogue as it was for us."

After the meeting, they voiced hope for progress.

"We understand it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the end of the day, uniting and building a relationship and continuing to build that bond is a move in the correct path," Hickey commented.

They added that they shared with Pope Leo: "Even though it's a dark chapter, I believe like we can alter how the story ends - he appreciated that."