People who experienced sexual abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced fresh optimism after their first meeting with the new Pope at the Vatican.
The board president, heading the anti-abuse organization, commented that the pontiff's choice to engage with them so early in his leadership spoke volumes about his dedication to addressing the problem.
Global Zero-Tolerance Policy Pushed
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 minor. This policy has been implemented in the United States.
The Pope recognized that there is "resistance in certain regions of the world" to this proposal, according to the representative.
"Everyone was practical when we acknowledged that there is resistance," Hickey stated.
Inherited Issue
The new Pope, who assumed the position in May, has taken on this persistent problem that has plagued the Catholic Church for many years.
Earlier attempts to resolve the situation included an historic summit on child abuse within the Church and revisions to church laws to explicitly criminalize sexual abuse.
Deeply Felt Link
For the representative, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for worldwide adoption of the policy is personal. The Canadian activist shared they were victimized by a clergy member who was subsequently transferred between various churches.
"Hopefully this will set the tone for his leadership, because we aim to collaborate with him," Hickey expressed. "We have the common objective, we want to eliminate clergy abuse."
Historic Encounter
Multiple representatives of the coalition, which includes victims and advocates from more than 30 nations, met with the Pontiff in his official residence.
The meeting, initially planned for a brief period, lasted to a full hour, during which the Pope "primarily heard to us," according to Hickey.
The Pope was characterized as "very understanding" when hearing the account of a woman abused at a Catholic residential school for native youth in Canada.
They noted the Pope was "compassionate" about their own experience and seemed "modest, humorous, and very down to earth."
"Survivors have consistently sought a seat at the table and I didn't feel like he was giving us lip service," Hickey commented. "I believed like he was genuine, realistic, and receptive and eager to work with us."
Church Regulations Reforms
The organization is hoping that revisions to church regulations will facilitate the implementation of the strict approach globally.
They have consulted experts and compiled documents that they will submit to the pontiff.
"He appeared interested in reviewing it," they noted.
Responsibility Highlighted
A recently released church-ordered report highlighted the "importance of a streamlined protocol for the resignation and/or dismissal of religious officials or staff in cases of misconduct or failure to act."
The document also pointed out that victims repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for church leaders and senior officials to be held accountable for inaction and concealment."
Moving Forward
Hickey shared they told the pontiff at the beginning of their meeting: "This represents as much a risk for him to engage in a dialogue as it was for us."
Following the encounter, they expressed hope for future change.
"We understand it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the conclusion, coming together and establishing a connection and continuing to build that relationship is a move in the correct path," they commented.
Hickey concluded that they shared with the pontiff: "Even though it's a dark chapter, I feel like we can alter how the narrative concludes - he appreciated that."
