People who experienced sexual abuse by church officials have expressed renewed hope following their first encounter with the new Pope at the Holy See.
The board president, who leads the anti-abuse organization, stated that the Pope's choice to meet with them so early in his leadership sent a strong message about his commitment to tackling the issue.
Global Zero-Tolerance Policy Advocated
The group is pushing for a global zero-tolerance policy that would permanently remove any clergy member who confesses to or is proven of abusing a minor. This policy has already been adopted in the US.
The Pontiff recognized that there is "opposition in some parts of the world" to this initiative, according to Hickey.
"We were all being realistic when we recognized that there is resistance," Hickey stated.
Inherited Issue
The new Pope, who took the role in May, has taken on this longstanding problem that has haunted the Church for many years.
Earlier attempts to address the situation included an historic meeting on paedophilia within the Church and changes to canon law to explicitly criminalize abuse.
Deeply Felt Connection
For the representative, who uses they/them pronouns, the drive for worldwide adoption of the measure is personal. The North American advocate shared they were victimized by a clergy member who was subsequently transferred between different parishes.
"We trust this will set the tone for his leadership, because we want to work with him," they stated. "We have the common objective, we want to eliminate clergy abuse."
Significant Encounter
Multiple members of the organization, which includes victims and advocates from over thirty countries, engaged with the Pontiff in his official residence.
The discussion, initially planned for 20 minutes, lasted to a full hour, during which the religious leader "primarily heard to us," according to the representative.
The pontiff was described as "quite empathetic" when hearing the account of a woman victimized at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in North America.
Hickey noted the Pope was "compassionate" about their own experience and seemed "modest, funny, and approachable."
"Victims have long wanted 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 eager to work with us."
Church Regulations Reforms
The organization is hoping that changes to church regulations will enable the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.
They have spoken with experts and compiled materials that they will submit to the pontiff.
"He seemed engaged in reviewing it," Hickey remarked.
Responsibility Emphasized
A recent Vatican-commissioned document highlighted the "importance of a efficient process for the resignation and/or removal of Church leaders or staff in cases of misconduct or negligence."
The report also pointed out that victims consistently emphasized the "critical requirement for church leaders and senior officials to be made responsible for inaction and cover-up."
Path Ahead
Hickey revealed they informed the Pope at the beginning of their meeting: "This is as much a risk for him to engage in a conversation as it was for us."
After the encounter, Hickey voiced hope for progress.
"We understand it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the end of the day, coming together and building a connection and persisting to build that relationship is a move in the correct path," they stated.
They added that they told with Pope Leo: "Even though it's a difficult period, I believe like we can alter how the narrative concludes - he appreciated that."
