Individuals who experienced sexual abuse by church officials have expressed renewed hope after their initial meeting with the new Pope at the Holy See.
The board president, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, commented that the pontiff's choice to engage with them so soon in his papacy sent a strong message about his commitment to addressing the issue.
Worldwide Zero-Tolerance Policy Pushed
The group is advocating for a worldwide zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any priest who confesses to or is found guilty of abusing a minor. This approach has been implemented in the US.
The Pope acknowledged that there is "opposition in certain regions of the globe" to this proposal, according to Hickey.
"We were all being realistic when we recognized that there is resistance," they remarked.
Inherited Challenge
The current pontiff, who took the position in spring, has taken on this persistent issue that has plagued the Catholic Church for decades.
Previous efforts to address the problem included an unprecedented meeting on child abuse within the institution and revisions to church laws to explicitly criminalize abuse.
Deeply Felt Connection
For Hickey, who prefers they/them pronouns, the drive for worldwide adoption of the policy is deeply meaningful. The North American advocate shared they were victimized by a clergy member who was subsequently transferred between various churches.
"Hopefully this will establish the direction for his leadership, because we aim to work with him," they expressed. "Both sides share the same goal, we want to end abuse by religious officials."
Significant Meeting
Seven representatives of the coalition, which represents survivors and advocates from over thirty nations, met with the Pope in his official residence.
The meeting, initially planned for a brief period, extended 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 account of a woman abused at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in North America.
Hickey added the Pope was "tender" about their own story and appeared "modest, funny, and very down to earth."
"Victims have consistently sought a seat at the table and I didn't perceive like he was making empty promises," Hickey commented. "I felt like he was genuine, realistic, and receptive and eager to work with us."
Canon Law Reforms
The organization is hoping that revisions to church regulations will enable the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.
They have spoken with experts and compiled documents that they will present to Pope Leo.
"He appeared engaged in reviewing it," Hickey remarked.
Accountability Highlighted
A recently released Vatican-commissioned document emphasized the "necessity of a streamlined protocol for the resignation and/or dismissal of religious officials or personnel in cases of abuse or negligence."
The report also noted that survivors consistently emphasized the "urgent need for church leaders and senior officials to be held accountable for inaction and cover-up."
Moving Forward
Hickey revealed they told the pontiff at the beginning of their discussion: "This is as much a challenge for him to engage in a dialogue as it was for us."
After the encounter, they expressed hope for future change.
"We understand 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 relationship is a step in the right direction," they stated.
Hickey added that they told with the pontiff: "Just because it's a difficult period, I feel like we can change how the story ends - he appreciated that."
