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People who experienced sexual abuse by Catholic clergy have expressed renewed hope after their initial encounter with the new Pope at the Vatican.

The board president, heading the anti-abuse organization, stated that the pontiff's choice to engage with them so early in his papacy spoke volumes about his dedication to addressing the problem.

Global Zero-Tolerance Approach Advocated

The group is pushing for a global strict approach that would permanently remove any clergy member who admits to or is proven of abusing a minor. This approach has been implemented in the United States.

The Pontiff acknowledged that there is "opposition in some parts of the globe" to this initiative, according to Hickey.

"Everyone was practical when we recognized that there is resistance," they stated.

Inherited Challenge

The new Pope, who assumed the role in May, has inherited this longstanding issue that has plagued the Church for many years.

Earlier attempts to address the problem included an unprecedented summit on paedophilia within the Church and changes to church laws to explicitly criminalize abuse.

Personal Connection

For the representative, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the policy is deeply meaningful. The North American advocate revealed they were victimized by a priest who was subsequently transferred between various churches.

"Hopefully this will establish the direction for his papacy, because we aim to work with him," they stated. "Both sides share the common objective, we want to eliminate clergy abuse."

Historic Encounter

Seven members of the coalition, which represents victims and advocates from over thirty countries, engaged with the Pontiff in his official residence.

The discussion, originally scheduled for 20 minutes, lasted to a full hour, during which the Pope "mostly listened to us," according to the representative.

The Pope was characterized as "quite empathetic" when listening to the story of a female survivor victimized at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in Canada.

Hickey added the leader was "compassionate" about their personal experience and appeared "modest, funny, and very down to earth."

"Survivors have consistently sought a seat at the table and I didn't perceive like he was making empty promises," they stated. "I felt like he was sincere, practical, and receptive and keen to collaborate with us."

Canon Law Reforms

The organization is advocating that changes to church regulations will facilitate the implementation of the strict approach worldwide.

They have consulted specialists and compiled documents that they plan to present to the pontiff.

"He appeared engaged in looking at it," Hickey remarked.

Accountability Emphasized

A recent church-ordered document emphasized the "necessity of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or removal of religious officials or staff in cases of misconduct or failure to act."

The report also pointed out that survivors repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for bishops and senior officials to be made responsible for negligence and concealment."

Moving Forward

Hickey shared they informed the pontiff at the beginning of their meeting: "This represents as much a risk for him to participate in a conversation as it was for us."

After the meeting, Hickey expressed hope for progress.

"We understand it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the conclusion, uniting and establishing a connection and persisting to strengthen that bond is a move in the right direction," Hickey commented.

They added that they shared with Pope Leo: "Even though it's a dark chapter, I believe like we can alter how the story ends - he valued that."