🔗 Share this article

Individuals who endured sexual abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced renewed hope after their initial encounter with Pope Leo at the Holy See.

The board president, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, commented that the Pope's choice to meet with them so soon in his papacy spoke volumes about his dedication to addressing the problem.

Global Strict Policy Advocated

The group is pushing for a worldwide 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 Pope acknowledged that there is "opposition in certain regions of the world" to this initiative, according to Hickey.

"We were all being realistic when we recognized that there is pushback," they stated.

Legacy Challenge

The current pontiff, who took the position in spring, has taken on this persistent issue that has plagued the Church for many years.

Earlier attempts to resolve the problem included an historic meeting on paedophilia within the institution and revisions to church laws to clearly outlaw abuse.

Deeply Felt Link

For Hickey, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the policy is personal. The Canadian advocate shared they were victimized by a priest who was subsequently moved between different parishes.

"We trust this will set the tone for his leadership, because we want to work with him," Hickey stated. "Both sides share the same goal, we want to eliminate abuse by religious officials."

Historic Encounter

Multiple members of the organization, which includes survivors and advocates from over thirty nations, engaged with the Pope in his Vatican office.

The discussion, initially planned for a brief period, extended to a full hour, during which the Pope "primarily heard to us," according to the representative.

The pontiff was described as "quite empathetic" when listening to the account of a woman victimized at a church-run institution for native youth in Canada.

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

"Victims have long wanted a voice in discussions and I didn't perceive like he was making empty promises," they commented. "I believed like he was sincere, practical, and very open and keen to collaborate with us."

Canon Law Changes

The group is advocating that revisions to canon law will enable the adoption of the strict approach worldwide.

They have consulted experts and gathered documents that they will submit to Pope Leo.

"He seemed interested in reviewing it," Hickey noted.

Responsibility Highlighted

A recently released church-ordered document highlighted the "necessity of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or removal of religious officials or personnel in cases of abuse or negligence."

The document also noted that survivors consistently emphasized the "critical requirement for bishops and major superiors to be held accountable for negligence and cover-up."

Moving Forward

Hickey revealed they told the pontiff at the start of their discussion: "This is as much a challenge for him to participate in a conversation as it was for us."

After the meeting, 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 establishing a relationship and continuing to build that relationship is a move in the correct path," they stated.

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