People who endured abuse by Catholic clergy have expressed fresh optimism after their initial meeting with Pope Leo at the Holy See.
Gemma Hickey, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, commented that the pontiff's choice to meet with them so soon in his papacy sent a strong message about his dedication to tackling the issue.
Worldwide Strict Policy Advocated
The group is advocating for a worldwide strict approach that would permanently remove any clergy member who confesses to or is proven of abusing a minor. This policy has been implemented in the United States.
The Pontiff acknowledged that there is "opposition in certain regions of the globe" to this initiative, according to Hickey.
"Everyone was practical when we recognized that there is pushback," they stated.
Inherited Challenge
The current pontiff, who took the position in spring, has inherited this longstanding issue that has plagued the Catholic Church for many years.
Earlier attempts to address the situation included an unprecedented summit on child abuse within the institution and changes to church laws to explicitly criminalize abuse.
Deeply Felt Connection
For the representative, who uses they/them pronouns, the campaign for worldwide adoption of the measure is personal. The Canadian activist shared they were abused by a clergy member who was subsequently moved between various churches.
"We trust this will establish the direction for his leadership, because we want to collaborate with him," they expressed. "We have the same goal, we seek to eliminate abuse by religious officials."
Significant Encounter
Multiple representatives of the organization, which includes victims and advocates from over thirty nations, met with the Pope in his Vatican office.
The discussion, originally scheduled for a brief period, lasted to a full hour, during which the Pope "mostly listened to us," according to the representative.
The Pope was described as "quite empathetic" 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 "compassionate" about their personal experience and appeared "very humble, funny, and approachable."
"Victims have long wanted a voice in discussions and I didn't feel like he was giving us lip service," they stated. "I believed like he was sincere, practical, and receptive and eager to work with us."
Canon Law Changes
The group is hoping that revisions to canon law will enable the implementation of the strict approach globally.
They have consulted experts and gathered materials that they will present to Pope Leo.
"He seemed engaged in reviewing it," they remarked.
Responsibility Highlighted
A recently released Vatican-commissioned document highlighted the "necessity of a efficient process for the resignation and/or removal of religious officials or staff in cases of abuse or failure to act."
The report also noted that victims consistently emphasized the "urgent need for church leaders and major superiors to be held accountable for negligence and cover-up."
Path Ahead
The representative revealed they told the Pope at the start of their discussion: "This is as much a risk for him to participate in a conversation as it was for us."
After the meeting, Hickey voiced optimism for progress.
"We understand it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the conclusion, coming together and building a connection and persisting to build that relationship is a step in the right direction," they commented.
Hickey concluded that they told with the pontiff: "Even though it's a dark chapter, I believe like we can change how the story concludes - he valued that."
