Individuals who endured abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced fresh optimism following their initial meeting with Pope Leo at the Vatican.
Gemma Hickey, who leads the anti-abuse organization, 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 problem.
Worldwide Strict Policy Pushed
The organization is advocating for a global strict approach that would defrock any priest who admits to or is found guilty of abusing a minor. This approach has already been adopted in the US.
The Pope acknowledged that there is "resistance in some parts of the world" to this proposal, according to the representative.
"Everyone was practical when we recognized that there is resistance," they remarked.
Inherited Issue
The current pontiff, who took the role in spring, has taken on this persistent issue that has plagued the Church for decades.
Earlier attempts to address the situation included an unprecedented summit on child abuse within the Church and changes to church laws to clearly outlaw sexual abuse.
Personal Connection
For the representative, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for worldwide adoption of the policy is personal. The Canadian activist shared they were abused by a priest who was later moved between various churches.
"We trust this will set the tone for his leadership, because we aim to collaborate with him," they expressed. "We have the common objective, we want to eliminate abuse by religious officials."
Historic Meeting
Seven representatives of the coalition, which includes victims and supporters from more than 30 countries, met with the Pontiff in his Vatican office.
The discussion, initially planned for 20 minutes, extended to a sixty minutes, during which the Pope "mostly listened to us," according to Hickey.
The pontiff was described as "quite empathetic" when listening to the account of a female survivor abused at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in North America.
They noted the leader was "compassionate" about their personal experience and seemed "modest, humorous, and very down to earth."
"Survivors have long wanted a seat at the table and I didn't feel like he was giving us lip service," they stated. "I believed like he was sincere, realistic, and very open and eager to work with us."
Canon Law Reforms
The group is hoping that changes to canon law will facilitate the adoption of the strict approach worldwide.
They have consulted specialists and compiled materials that they will present to the pontiff.
"He seemed engaged in looking at it," Hickey remarked.
Accountability Emphasized
A recent church-ordered report highlighted the "necessity of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or dismissal of Church leaders or staff in cases of abuse or negligence."
The report also pointed out that victims repeatedly stressed the "urgent need for bishops and senior officials to be held accountable for inaction and concealment."
Path Ahead
The representative shared they told the pontiff at the start of their discussion: "This is as much a risk for him to participate in a dialogue as it was for us."
After the encounter, they voiced optimism for future change.
"We realise it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the conclusion, coming together and establishing a connection and continuing to build that relationship is a move in the correct path," Hickey stated.
They added that they shared with the pontiff: "Even though it's a difficult period, I believe like we can change how the story concludes - he appreciated that."
