Individuals who experienced abuse by church officials have expressed renewed hope after their first encounter with the new Pope at the Vatican.
Gemma Hickey, who leads the anti-abuse organization, commented that the pontiff's choice to meet with them so soon in his papacy spoke volumes about his dedication to addressing the problem.
Worldwide Zero-Tolerance Approach Pushed
The group is advocating for a global zero-tolerance policy that would permanently remove any clergy member who confesses to or is proven of sexually abusing a child. 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 the representative.
"We were all being realistic when we recognized that there is resistance," Hickey remarked.
Inherited Issue
The current pontiff, who took the role in May, has inherited this longstanding issue that has haunted the Church for decades.
Earlier attempts to resolve the problem included an historic meeting on paedophilia within the institution and revisions to canon law to clearly outlaw abuse.
Personal Connection
For the representative, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for worldwide adoption of the policy is personal. The North American advocate shared they were abused by a priest who was later transferred between various churches.
"Hopefully this will set the tone for his leadership, because we want to collaborate with him," they stated. "Both sides share the common objective, we seek to end clergy abuse."
Significant Encounter
Multiple representatives of the organization, which includes survivors and supporters from more than 30 countries, met with the Pontiff in his Vatican office.
The discussion, initially planned for a brief period, lasted to a full hour, during which the Pope "mostly listened to us," according to the representative.
The Pope was described as "very understanding" when listening to the story of a woman victimized at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in Canada.
They added the Pope was "tender" about their personal experience and seemed "modest, funny, and very down to earth."
"Victims have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't feel like he was making empty promises," Hickey commented. "I felt like he was genuine, realistic, and receptive and eager to collaborate with us."
Canon Law Changes
The organization is advocating that changes to canon law will facilitate the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.
They have consulted experts and compiled documents that they will present to the pontiff.
"He appeared interested in reviewing it," they noted.
Responsibility Emphasized
A recently released church-ordered report highlighted the "importance of a efficient process for the resignation and/or removal of Church leaders or staff in cases of abuse or failure to act."
The report also pointed out that survivors repeatedly stressed the "urgent need for church leaders and major superiors to be held accountable for negligence and cover-up."
Moving Forward
Hickey revealed they told the Pope at the start of their meeting: "This is as much a challenge for him to participate in a conversation as it was for us."
After the encounter, they expressed optimism for future change.
"We realise it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the end of the day, coming together and building a connection and continuing to strengthen that bond is a move in the right direction," they commented.
They added that they told with the pontiff: "Even though it's a difficult period, I feel like we can alter how the story ends - he valued that."
