People who experienced abuse by church officials have voiced renewed hope after their first meeting with Pope Leo at the Vatican.
Gemma Hickey, who leads the anti-abuse organization, commented that the pontiff's choice to engage with them so early in his leadership sent a strong message about his dedication to tackling the issue.
Worldwide Strict Policy Advocated
The organization is pushing for a worldwide strict approach that would defrock any priest who admits to or is found guilty of sexually abusing a child. This policy has been implemented in the US.
The Pontiff recognized that there is "opposition in certain regions of the world" to this proposal, according to the representative.
"Everyone was practical when we acknowledged that there is resistance," Hickey remarked.
Inherited Challenge
The current pontiff, who assumed the role in May, has taken on this persistent problem that has plagued the Catholic Church for many years.
Previous efforts to address the situation included an historic summit on child abuse within the Church and changes to canon law to clearly outlaw abuse.
Deeply Felt Connection
For the representative, who prefers gender-neutral pronouns, the campaign for global implementation of the measure is deeply meaningful. The Canadian activist shared they were victimized by a priest who was later transferred between various churches.
"We trust this will set the tone for his papacy, because we aim to work with him," they stated. "Both sides share the same goal, we seek to end abuse by religious officials."
Historic Encounter
Seven members of the organization, which represents victims and supporters from over thirty nations, engaged with the Pope in his Vatican office.
The discussion, originally scheduled for a brief period, lasted to a sixty minutes, during which the religious leader "primarily heard to us," according to the representative.
The pontiff was described as "quite empathetic" when hearing the story of a woman abused at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in Canada.
They added the Pope was "tender" about their personal experience and appeared "modest, humorous, and approachable."
"Victims have consistently sought a seat at the table and I didn't feel like he was making empty promises," Hickey commented. "I believed like he was genuine, practical, and receptive and eager to work with us."
Canon Law Changes
The group is advocating that changes to canon law will facilitate the implementation of the strict approach globally.
They have consulted specialists and gathered documents that they plan to submit to the pontiff.
"He seemed interested in looking at it," they noted.
Responsibility Highlighted
A recently released church-ordered report emphasized the "importance of a efficient process for the stepping down and/or dismissal of Church leaders or staff in cases of misconduct or failure to act."
The document also pointed out that survivors consistently emphasized the "urgent need for church leaders and senior officials to be held accountable for inaction and cover-up."
Path Ahead
Hickey shared they told the pontiff at the start of their discussion: "This is as much a challenge for him to participate in a conversation as it was for us."
Following the encounter, Hickey expressed optimism for future change.
"We understand it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the end of the day, uniting and establishing a relationship and persisting to strengthen that bond is a move in the right direction," Hickey commented.
Hickey added that they shared with the pontiff: "Even though it's a dark chapter, I believe like we can alter how the narrative ends - he appreciated that."
