People who experienced abuse by church officials have voiced fresh optimism after their initial meeting with the new Pope at the Vatican.
The board president, who leads the anti-abuse organization, commented that the pontiff's decision to engage with them so early in his papacy spoke volumes about his commitment to addressing the issue.
Global Zero-Tolerance Policy Advocated
The organization is pushing for a global strict approach that would permanently remove any clergy member who admits to or is found guilty of sexually abusing a minor. This approach has already been adopted in the US.
The Pope recognized that there is "resistance in certain regions of the world" to this proposal, according to Hickey.
"Everyone was practical when we recognized that there is pushback," Hickey stated.
Legacy Challenge
The current pontiff, who took the role in spring, has inherited this persistent problem that has haunted the Church for many years.
Earlier attempts to address the situation included an unprecedented meeting on child abuse within the Church and revisions to church laws to clearly outlaw abuse.
Deeply Felt Connection
For the representative, who prefers they/them pronouns, the campaign for global implementation of the policy is deeply meaningful. The North American activist revealed they were abused by a clergy member who was subsequently moved between different parishes.
"We trust this will set the tone for his papacy, because we want to collaborate with him," Hickey stated. "We have the same goal, we want to eliminate clergy abuse."
Significant Encounter
Seven members of the coalition, which includes survivors and supporters from over thirty countries, engaged with the Pontiff in his official residence.
The discussion, originally scheduled for a brief period, lasted to a sixty minutes, during which the religious leader "mostly listened to us," according to the representative.
The Pope was described as "very understanding" when listening to the account of a woman abused at a church-run institution for native youth in North America.
They noted the Pope was "compassionate" about their own story and appeared "very humble, humorous, and very down to earth."
"Survivors have consistently sought a seat at the table and I didn't feel like he was giving us lip service," Hickey stated. "I believed like he was genuine, practical, and receptive and keen to collaborate with us."
Canon Law Changes
The organization is advocating that changes to canon law will facilitate the adoption of the zero-tolerance policy globally.
They have spoken with experts and compiled documents that they plan to present to the pontiff.
"He appeared interested in reviewing it," they remarked.
Accountability Emphasized
A recent church-ordered report highlighted the "necessity of a efficient process for the resignation and/or dismissal of religious officials or staff in cases of misconduct or failure to act."
The document also noted that survivors consistently emphasized the "critical requirement for church leaders and senior officials to be held accountable for negligence and cover-up."
Moving Forward
Hickey revealed they informed the Pope at the start of their meeting: "This represents as much a challenge for him to participate in a dialogue as it was for us."
Following the meeting, they voiced hope for progress.
"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 relationship is a move in the right direction," Hickey stated.
Hickey added that they told with the pontiff: "Just because it's a difficult period, I believe like we can change how the story ends - he appreciated that."
