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Individuals who endured sexual abuse by church officials have voiced renewed hope following their initial encounter with Pope Leo at the Holy See.

Gemma Hickey, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, commented that the pontiff's decision to meet with them so soon in his papacy sent a strong message about his dedication to tackling the problem.

Global Strict Policy Advocated

The organization is advocating for a global zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any priest who confesses to or is found guilty of abusing a child. This policy has already been adopted in the United States.

The Pope recognized that there is "resistance in some parts of the globe" to this proposal, according to the representative.

"We were all being realistic when we acknowledged that there is pushback," Hickey remarked.

Inherited Challenge

The new Pope, who took the position in May, has inherited this persistent issue that has plagued the Catholic Church for decades.

Earlier attempts to address the situation included an historic meeting on paedophilia within the institution and revisions to church laws to explicitly criminalize abuse.

Deeply Felt Link

For the representative, who prefers they/them pronouns, the campaign for worldwide adoption of the measure is personal. The North American advocate revealed they were victimized by a clergy member who was subsequently transferred between various churches.

"We trust this will set the tone for his leadership, because we aim to work with him," they stated. "We have the same goal, we want to eliminate clergy abuse."

Significant Encounter

Seven members of the coalition, which includes survivors and advocates from over thirty nations, met with the Pontiff in his Vatican office.

The meeting, originally scheduled for a brief period, lasted to a full hour, during which the religious leader "primarily heard to us," according to the representative.

The pontiff was characterized as "quite empathetic" when hearing the account of a female survivor abused at a Catholic residential school for native youth in North America.

Hickey noted the Pope was "tender" about their own story and seemed "very humble, funny, and approachable."

"Survivors have long wanted a seat at the table and I didn't perceive like he was giving us lip service," they stated. "I believed like he was genuine, practical, and very open and eager to work with us."

Canon Law Changes

The organization is advocating that changes to canon law will enable the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.

They have consulted experts and compiled materials that they will present to the pontiff.

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

Accountability Emphasized

A recent church-ordered document emphasized the "importance of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or removal of religious officials or personnel in cases of abuse or failure to act."

The report also pointed out that victims consistently emphasized the "critical requirement for bishops and senior officials to be made responsible for inaction and cover-up."

Moving Forward

Hickey shared they informed the Pope at the beginning of their discussion: "This is as much a challenge for him to participate in a conversation as it was for us."

Following the meeting, Hickey expressed hope for progress.

"We understand it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the conclusion, coming together and building a relationship and persisting to strengthen that bond is a step in the right direction," they stated.

Hickey concluded that they shared with the pontiff: "Just because it's a difficult period, I believe like we can alter how the story concludes - he appreciated that."