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Individuals who endured abuse by Catholic clergy have expressed renewed hope after their first encounter with the new Pope at the Vatican.

The board president, who leads the anti-abuse organization, commented that the pontiff's decision to meet with them so early in his papacy sent a strong message about his dedication to addressing the problem.

Worldwide Strict Approach Advocated

The organization is advocating for a global strict approach that would permanently remove any priest who confesses to or is proven of sexually abusing a minor. This policy has already been adopted in the US.

The Pope recognized that there is "resistance in certain regions of the globe" to this initiative, according to Hickey.

"Everyone was practical when we recognized that there is pushback," Hickey remarked.

Legacy Issue

The current pontiff, who took the position in May, has inherited this persistent issue that has plagued the Church for many years.

Previous efforts to resolve the situation included an unprecedented meeting on child abuse within the Church and changes to canon law to clearly outlaw abuse.

Personal Connection

For the representative, who prefers they/them pronouns, the campaign for global implementation of the measure is personal. The Canadian activist revealed 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 aim to work with him," Hickey stated. "Both sides share the common objective, we want to eliminate clergy abuse."

Significant Meeting

Seven representatives of the coalition, which includes victims and supporters from more than 30 countries, engaged with the Pontiff in his official residence.

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 listening to the account of a woman victimized at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in Canada.

Hickey noted the leader was "tender" about their own experience 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 making empty promises," Hickey stated. "I believed like he was genuine, realistic, and receptive and keen to work with us."

Church Regulations Reforms

The organization is advocating that changes to church regulations will facilitate the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy globally.

They have consulted experts and gathered materials that they plan to present to Pope Leo.

"He seemed interested in looking at it," they noted.

Responsibility Emphasized

A recently released Vatican-commissioned document highlighted the "importance of a efficient process for the stepping down and/or dismissal of Church leaders or personnel in cases of abuse or negligence."

The document also noted that victims consistently emphasized the "critical requirement for church leaders and major superiors to be made responsible for negligence and cover-up."

Moving Forward

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

After the meeting, they expressed optimism for future change.

"We understand it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the conclusion, uniting and establishing a relationship and continuing to strengthen that bond is a step in the right direction," they stated.

They 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 valued that."