🔗 Share this article

People who experienced sexual abuse by church officials have expressed renewed hope following their first meeting with the new Pope at the Vatican.

The board president, heading the anti-abuse organization, stated that the Pope's decision to engage with them so early in his papacy sent a strong message about his dedication to addressing the issue.

Global Zero-Tolerance Approach Pushed

The organization is advocating for a worldwide zero-tolerance policy that would permanently remove any priest who confesses to or is found guilty of sexually abusing a minor. This policy has already been adopted in the US.

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

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

Inherited Challenge

The current pontiff, who assumed the position in May, has inherited this persistent problem that has plagued the Church for decades.

Earlier attempts to address the problem included an historic meeting on paedophilia within the institution and revisions to canon law to clearly outlaw sexual abuse.

Personal Link

For the representative, who uses they/them pronouns, the campaign for global implementation of the measure is personal. The Canadian advocate shared they were abused by a priest who was later moved between different parishes.

"We trust this will set the tone for his leadership, because we want to work with him," they expressed. "We have the same goal, we seek to eliminate abuse by religious officials."

Historic Encounter

Seven members of the coalition, which includes victims and advocates from more than 30 nations, met with the Pontiff in his official residence.

The meeting, initially planned for a brief period, lasted to a full hour, during which the Pope "primarily heard to us," according to Hickey.

The pontiff was described as "quite empathetic" when hearing the account of a female survivor abused at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in Canada.

Hickey added the Pope was "compassionate" about their personal experience and appeared "very humble, funny, and approachable."

"Survivors have consistently sought a seat at the table and I didn't feel like he was making empty promises," Hickey stated. "I believed like he was sincere, realistic, and very open and keen to collaborate with us."

Church Regulations Reforms

The group is hoping that revisions to canon law will enable the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.

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

"He appeared engaged in reviewing it," they noted.

Responsibility Emphasized

A recently released church-ordered document highlighted the "importance of a streamlined protocol for the resignation and/or removal of Church leaders or personnel in cases of abuse or failure to act."

The document also noted that victims consistently emphasized the "urgent need for bishops and major superiors to be held accountable for inaction and concealment."

Moving Forward

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

Following the encounter, they voiced hope for progress.

"We realise it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the end of the day, uniting and establishing a connection and persisting to build that bond is a move in the correct path," they stated.

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