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

Gemma Hickey, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, stated that the Pope's choice to meet with them so soon in his papacy spoke volumes about his commitment to tackling the problem.

Worldwide Zero-Tolerance Approach Advocated

The group is advocating for a worldwide zero-tolerance policy that would permanently remove any clergy member who admits to or is found guilty of abusing a minor. This approach has been implemented in the US.

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

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

Legacy Challenge

The new Pope, who took the position in May, has taken on this persistent problem that has haunted the Church for decades.

Earlier attempts to resolve the problem included an historic meeting on child abuse within the institution and changes to canon law to clearly outlaw sexual abuse.

Personal Link

For Hickey, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, the campaign for global implementation of the measure is personal. The Canadian advocate shared they were abused by a clergy member who was later transferred between various churches.

"Hopefully this will establish the direction for his leadership, because we want to collaborate with him," Hickey expressed. "We have the common objective, we want to end clergy abuse."

Historic Meeting

Seven representatives of the organization, which includes victims and advocates from over thirty nations, engaged with the Pope in his Vatican office.

The discussion, originally scheduled for 20 minutes, lasted to a full hour, during which the religious leader "primarily heard to us," according to Hickey.

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

They added the leader was "tender" about their own story and appeared "modest, funny, and approachable."

"Survivors have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't perceive like he was giving us lip service," Hickey commented. "I felt like he was sincere, practical, and receptive and eager to work with us."

Canon Law Changes

The group is advocating that revisions to church regulations will facilitate the adoption of the strict approach globally.

They have spoken with experts and compiled materials that they plan to present to Pope Leo.

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

Responsibility Emphasized

A recent church-ordered report highlighted the "importance of a streamlined protocol for the resignation and/or removal of religious officials or personnel in cases of misconduct or negligence."

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

Moving Forward

The representative revealed they told the pontiff at the beginning of their discussion: "This is as much a challenge for him to participate in a dialogue as it was for us."

Following the encounter, Hickey expressed optimism for progress.

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

They concluded that they told with the pontiff: "Just because it's a dark chapter, I believe like we can alter how the story ends - he appreciated that."