Individuals who experienced abuse by Catholic clergy have expressed fresh optimism after their initial meeting with Pope Leo at the Holy See.
The board president, who leads the anti-abuse organization, commented that the pontiff's choice to meet with them so early in his papacy sent a strong message about his commitment to addressing the problem.
Worldwide Zero-Tolerance Approach Pushed
The group is pushing for a global zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any priest who confesses to or is proven of abusing a child. This policy has been implemented in the US.
The Pope recognized that there is "opposition in some parts of the world" to this proposal, according to Hickey.
"We were all being realistic when we acknowledged that there is pushback," they stated.
Legacy Issue
The current pontiff, who took the position in May, has taken on this longstanding problem that has haunted the Catholic Church for decades.
Earlier attempts to resolve the situation included an historic meeting on child abuse within the Church and changes to canon law to clearly outlaw abuse.
Personal Connection
For Hickey, who prefers they/them pronouns, the drive for worldwide adoption of the policy is personal. The Canadian activist revealed they were victimized by a priest who was subsequently moved between different parishes.
"Hopefully this will establish the direction for his papacy, because we aim to collaborate with him," they expressed. "Both sides share the common objective, we seek to eliminate abuse by religious officials."
Historic Meeting
Seven members of the coalition, which includes survivors and supporters from more than 30 countries, engaged with the Pope in his Vatican office.
The meeting, originally scheduled for a brief period, extended to a sixty minutes, 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 Canada.
Hickey noted the leader was "compassionate" about their own story and appeared "modest, funny, and approachable."
"Victims have long wanted a voice in discussions and I didn't perceive like he was giving us lip service," they commented. "I believed like he was sincere, practical, and very open and keen to work with us."
Church Regulations Reforms
The organization is advocating that revisions to church regulations will enable the adoption of the strict approach globally.
They have consulted experts and gathered materials that they will present to Pope Leo.
"He appeared interested in reviewing it," they remarked.
Responsibility Highlighted
A recent Vatican-commissioned report highlighted the "importance of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or dismissal of religious officials or personnel in cases of abuse or negligence."
The document also pointed out that survivors consistently emphasized the "critical requirement for bishops and senior officials to be made responsible for inaction and concealment."
Moving Forward
Hickey shared they told the pontiff at the start of their discussion: "This is as much a challenge for him to engage in a conversation as it was for us."
After the encounter, they voiced optimism for future change.
"We understand it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the conclusion, coming together and establishing a connection and continuing to strengthen that bond is a move in the correct path," they stated.
Hickey added that they told with the pontiff: "Even though it's a dark chapter, I feel like we can change how the narrative concludes - he appreciated that."
