Individuals who experienced abuse by church officials have voiced renewed hope after their first meeting with the new Pope at the Vatican.
The board president, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, stated that the pontiff's decision to meet with them so soon in his papacy spoke volumes about his commitment to addressing the issue.
Worldwide Zero-Tolerance Approach Advocated
The group is advocating for a global zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any clergy member who confesses to or is found guilty of sexually abusing a minor. This policy has already been adopted in the United States.
The Pontiff acknowledged that there is "resistance in certain regions of the globe" to this proposal, according to Hickey.
"Everyone was practical when we acknowledged that there is pushback," they stated.
Inherited Challenge
The new Pope, who assumed the position in spring, has taken on this persistent issue that has plagued the Catholic Church for decades.
Earlier attempts to address the situation included an historic summit on child abuse within the institution and revisions to church laws to clearly outlaw sexual abuse.
Deeply Felt Connection
For Hickey, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, the campaign for global implementation of the policy is deeply meaningful. The Canadian activist revealed they were victimized by a priest who was later moved between various churches.
"We trust this will establish the direction for his leadership, because we aim to collaborate with him," they expressed. "We have the common objective, we want to end abuse by religious officials."
Historic Meeting
Multiple members of the coalition, which represents victims and supporters from over thirty nations, engaged with the Pontiff in his official residence.
The discussion, initially planned for 20 minutes, extended to a full hour, during which the religious leader "primarily heard to us," according to the representative.
The pontiff was described as "quite empathetic" when hearing the story of a female survivor victimized at a Catholic residential school for native youth in North America.
Hickey added the leader was "tender" about their own story and appeared "modest, funny, and very down to earth."
"Victims have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't perceive like he was making empty promises," Hickey commented. "I felt like he was sincere, practical, and very open and keen to work with us."
Church Regulations Changes
The organization is hoping that changes to church regulations will facilitate the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.
They have spoken with experts and compiled documents that they will present to the pontiff.
"He appeared engaged in reviewing it," they remarked.
Accountability Emphasized
A recent Vatican-commissioned document highlighted the "necessity of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or dismissal of Church leaders or staff in cases of misconduct or negligence."
The report also noted that survivors consistently emphasized the "critical requirement for church leaders and major superiors to be made responsible for negligence and cover-up."
Path Ahead
Hickey shared they told the pontiff at the start of their meeting: "This is as much a risk for him to participate in a conversation as it was for us."
Following the meeting, Hickey voiced optimism for progress.
"We realise it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the conclusion, coming together and establishing a connection and persisting to build that relationship is a move in the right direction," Hickey stated.
Hickey concluded that they shared with the pontiff: "Just because it's a difficult period, I believe like we can change how the narrative ends - he appreciated that."
