People who endured abuse by church officials have voiced renewed hope following their initial encounter with Pope Leo at the Vatican.
The board president, who leads Ending Clergy Abuse, stated that the Pope's decision to meet with them so soon in his papacy spoke volumes about his commitment to addressing the issue.
Worldwide Strict Policy Pushed
The group is pushing for a global zero-tolerance policy that would permanently remove any priest who admits to or is found guilty of abusing a minor. This policy has already been adopted in the US.
The Pontiff recognized that there is "opposition in certain regions of the world" to this initiative, according to Hickey.
"Everyone was practical when we recognized that there is pushback," Hickey stated.
Legacy Challenge
The new Pope, who assumed the position in May, has taken on this longstanding problem that has haunted the Church for decades.
Earlier attempts to resolve the situation included an unprecedented summit on child abuse within the Church and revisions to canon law to clearly outlaw abuse.
Personal Connection
For Hickey, who prefers gender-neutral pronouns, the campaign for worldwide adoption of the measure is deeply meaningful. The North American activist shared they were abused by a clergy member who was subsequently transferred between various churches.
"We trust this will set the tone for his papacy, because we want to work with him," they stated. "We have the same goal, we want to end clergy abuse."
Significant Encounter
Seven members of the organization, which represents victims and supporters from more than 30 nations, engaged with the Pope in his Vatican office.
The discussion, originally scheduled for 20 minutes, lasted to a sixty minutes, during which the religious leader "primarily heard to us," according to Hickey.
The Pope was described as "quite empathetic" when hearing the account of a woman victimized at a church-run institution for native youth in North America.
Hickey noted the Pope was "tender" about their own story and appeared "modest, funny, and very down to earth."
"Survivors have long wanted a voice in discussions and I didn't feel like he was making empty promises," they commented. "I believed like he was genuine, realistic, and receptive and eager to work with us."
Canon Law Changes
The group is hoping that revisions to church regulations will enable the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.
They have consulted experts and compiled materials that they plan to present to the pontiff.
"He appeared engaged in reviewing it," they remarked.
Responsibility Highlighted
A recently released church-ordered document emphasized 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 pointed out that victims consistently emphasized the "critical requirement for bishops and senior officials to be held accountable for inaction and cover-up."
Moving Forward
Hickey shared they informed the pontiff at the beginning of their discussion: "This represents as much a challenge for him to participate in a conversation as it was for us."
After the encounter, they expressed hope for progress.
"We understand it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the end of the day, coming together and building a relationship and persisting to build that relationship is a step in the right direction," they stated.
Hickey concluded that they told with Pope Leo: "Even though it's a difficult period, I believe like we can change how the story ends - he valued that."
