People who endured abuse by church officials have expressed fresh optimism after their first meeting with the new Pope at the Holy See.
The board president, heading the anti-abuse organization, stated that the pontiff's decision to meet with them so soon in his papacy spoke volumes about his commitment to tackling the issue.
Worldwide Strict Policy Pushed
The organization is advocating for a worldwide zero-tolerance policy that would permanently remove any priest who admits to or is proven of abusing a child. This policy has been implemented in the United States.
The Pope acknowledged that there is "opposition in certain regions of the globe" to this initiative, according to the representative.
"Everyone was practical when we recognized that there is pushback," they stated.
Legacy Challenge
The current pontiff, who assumed the position in spring, has taken on this persistent problem that has plagued the Church for many years.
Previous efforts to resolve the problem included an historic summit on paedophilia within the institution and revisions to church laws to explicitly criminalize abuse.
Deeply Felt Link
For Hickey, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, the campaign for worldwide adoption of the measure is deeply meaningful. The Canadian activist shared they were abused by a clergy member who was subsequently transferred between various churches.
"Hopefully this will establish the direction for his papacy, because we want to collaborate with him," they expressed. "Both sides share the common objective, we want to end clergy abuse."
Historic Meeting
Seven members of the coalition, which includes victims and advocates from more than 30 nations, met with the Pope in his Vatican office.
The meeting, initially planned for a brief period, extended to a full hour, during which the Pope "primarily heard to us," according to Hickey.
The pontiff was described as "quite empathetic" when listening to the story of a female survivor victimized at a Catholic residential school for native youth in North America.
They added the Pope was "compassionate" about their personal experience and seemed "modest, humorous, and very down to earth."
"Survivors have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't feel like he was making empty promises," they stated. "I believed like he was genuine, realistic, and very open and eager to collaborate with us."
Church Regulations Changes
The group is hoping that revisions to canon law will facilitate the adoption of the zero-tolerance policy globally.
They have consulted specialists and gathered materials that they plan to submit to the pontiff.
"He seemed engaged in looking at it," Hickey remarked.
Responsibility Highlighted
A recent Vatican-commissioned report emphasized the "necessity of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or removal of Church leaders or staff in cases of misconduct or negligence."
The document also noted that survivors consistently emphasized the "urgent need for church leaders and senior officials to be held accountable for inaction and concealment."
Path Ahead
Hickey revealed they informed the pontiff at the beginning of their discussion: "This represents as much a challenge for him to participate in a dialogue as it was for us."
After the encounter, Hickey expressed optimism for progress.
"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 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 dark chapter, I feel like we can change how the story ends - he appreciated that."
