People who endured abuse by church officials have expressed fresh optimism following their first meeting with the new Pope at the Holy See.
The board president, heading the anti-abuse organization, stated that the pontiff's choice to engage with them so soon in his leadership sent a strong message about his commitment to tackling the problem.
Global Zero-Tolerance Policy Pushed
The group is pushing for a global strict approach that would permanently remove any priest who confesses to or is found guilty of abusing a child. This approach has been implemented in the United States.
The Pope recognized that there is "opposition in certain regions of the world" to this proposal, according to Hickey.
"We were all being realistic when we recognized that there is resistance," Hickey stated.
Legacy Issue
The current pontiff, who assumed the position in May, has taken on this persistent problem that has haunted the Church for decades.
Previous efforts to address the situation included an unprecedented meeting on paedophilia within the Church and revisions to church laws to clearly outlaw abuse.
Deeply Felt Link
For the representative, who prefers gender-neutral pronouns, the campaign for global implementation of the measure is deeply meaningful. The Canadian activist revealed they were victimized by a priest who was subsequently transferred between different parishes.
"Hopefully this will set the tone for his leadership, because we want to collaborate with him," Hickey stated. "We have the common objective, we want to end abuse by religious officials."
Historic Encounter
Seven members of the coalition, which represents survivors and advocates from more than 30 countries, engaged with the Pope in his Vatican office.
The meeting, initially planned for 20 minutes, extended to a sixty minutes, during which the Pope "primarily heard to us," according to the representative.
The pontiff was characterized as "very understanding" when hearing the story of a woman victimized at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in Canada.
They noted the leader was "compassionate" about their own story and seemed "modest, funny, and very down to earth."
"Victims have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't perceive like he was giving us lip service," they commented. "I felt like he was genuine, practical, and receptive and eager to work with us."
Church Regulations Changes
The group is hoping that revisions to church regulations will facilitate the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.
They have consulted specialists and compiled materials that they will present to Pope Leo.
"He seemed engaged in looking at it," Hickey noted.
Accountability Emphasized
A recent church-ordered report highlighted the "importance of a streamlined protocol for the resignation and/or removal of religious officials or staff in cases of abuse or negligence."
The document also noted that victims repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for church leaders and major superiors to be made responsible for negligence and concealment."
Path Ahead
The representative revealed they informed the pontiff at the start of their meeting: "This is as much a challenge for him to participate in a dialogue as it was for us."
Following the meeting, they expressed hope for progress.
"We realise it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the conclusion, uniting and establishing a connection and persisting to strengthen that bond is a move in the correct path," Hickey commented.
Hickey concluded that they shared with Pope Leo: "Even though it's a dark chapter, I believe like we can change how the narrative concludes - he valued that."