🔗 Share this article

Individuals who experienced abuse by Catholic clergy have expressed fresh optimism after their first encounter with Pope Leo at the Vatican.

The board president, who leads Ending Clergy Abuse, stated that the Pope's choice to engage with them so soon in his papacy sent a strong message about his commitment to addressing the problem.

Worldwide Zero-Tolerance Policy Advocated

The group is pushing for a worldwide zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any priest who admits to or is found guilty of abusing a minor. This policy has been implemented in the United States.

The Pope recognized that there is "resistance in some parts of the globe" to this initiative, according to the representative.

"We were all being realistic when we acknowledged that there is pushback," Hickey stated.

Legacy Challenge

The new Pope, who assumed the position in May, has inherited this longstanding issue that has plagued the Church for decades.

Previous efforts to resolve the situation included an historic summit on child abuse within the Church and changes to church laws to explicitly criminalize abuse.

Deeply Felt Connection

For Hickey, who uses they/them pronouns, the drive for worldwide adoption of the measure is personal. The Canadian advocate shared they were abused by a clergy member who was subsequently transferred between various churches.

"Hopefully this will set the tone for his leadership, because we aim to collaborate with him," Hickey stated. "Both sides share the same goal, we seek to end clergy abuse."

Historic Encounter

Seven members of the coalition, which represents survivors and advocates from over thirty nations, met with the Pope in his official residence.

The discussion, initially planned for 20 minutes, extended to a full hour, during which the Pope "primarily heard to us," according to Hickey.

The Pope was described as "very understanding" when listening to the account of a woman victimized at a Catholic residential school for Indigenous children in Canada.

They added the Pope was "tender" about their own experience and seemed "modest, humorous, and very down to earth."

"Survivors have long wanted a voice in discussions and I didn't perceive like he was making empty promises," Hickey stated. "I believed like he was genuine, realistic, and very open and eager to collaborate with us."

Canon Law Changes

The organization is hoping that revisions to canon law will facilitate the implementation of the strict approach worldwide.

They have spoken with experts and compiled materials that they will submit to the pontiff.

"He seemed engaged in reviewing it," they remarked.

Responsibility Emphasized

A recently released church-ordered document emphasized the "importance of a efficient process for the stepping down and/or dismissal of Church leaders or personnel in cases of abuse or negligence."

The report also noted that survivors consistently emphasized the "urgent need for bishops and major superiors to be held accountable for inaction and cover-up."

Path Ahead

The representative shared they informed the Pope at the start of their discussion: "This represents as much a risk for him to engage in a dialogue as it was for us."

After the meeting, they voiced hope for future change.

"We realise it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the end of the day, uniting and establishing a relationship and persisting to strengthen that relationship is a move in the correct path," Hickey stated.

Hickey added that they told with Pope Leo: "Just because it's a difficult period, I believe like we can change how the story ends - he valued that."