People who experienced abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced renewed hope following their first meeting with the new Pope at the Vatican.
The board president, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, commented that the pontiff's choice to engage with them so early in his papacy spoke volumes about his dedication to addressing the issue.
Worldwide Strict Policy Pushed
The organization is advocating for a global zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any clergy member who confesses to or is found guilty of sexually abusing a child. This approach has been implemented in the United States.
The Pontiff acknowledged that there is "resistance in some parts of the world" to this proposal, according to Hickey.
"We were all being realistic when we recognized that there is resistance," Hickey remarked.
Inherited Challenge
The current pontiff, who assumed the position in spring, has inherited this longstanding issue that has plagued the Catholic Church for many years.
Earlier attempts to resolve the problem included an historic meeting on paedophilia within the institution and changes to church laws to explicitly criminalize sexual abuse.
Deeply Felt Connection
For Hickey, who prefers gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the policy is personal. The Canadian advocate revealed they were victimized by a priest who was subsequently moved between different parishes.
"Hopefully this will establish the direction for his papacy, because we aim to work with him," Hickey expressed. "Both sides share the common objective, we seek to eliminate abuse by religious officials."
Significant Encounter
Seven members of the organization, which represents victims and advocates from over thirty countries, engaged with the Pontiff in his Vatican office.
The meeting, initially planned for a brief period, extended to a sixty minutes, during which the Pope "mostly listened to us," according to the representative.
The pontiff was characterized as "quite empathetic" when hearing the account of a woman abused at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in North America.
They noted the Pope was "compassionate" about their personal experience and seemed "modest, funny, and approachable."
"Victims have long wanted a seat at the table and I didn't perceive like he was giving us lip service," they stated. "I felt like he was sincere, practical, and very open and keen to work with us."
Church Regulations Reforms
The organization is advocating that revisions to canon law will enable the implementation of the strict approach globally.
They have consulted specialists and gathered materials that they will present to the pontiff.
"He seemed interested in reviewing it," they noted.
Responsibility Highlighted
A recent church-ordered document highlighted the "necessity 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 report also noted that victims consistently emphasized the "critical requirement for bishops and major superiors to be held accountable for inaction and concealment."
Path Ahead
The representative revealed they informed the Pope at the beginning of their discussion: "This is as much a challenge for him to engage in a conversation as it was for us."
After the encounter, they voiced hope for future change.
"We understand it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the conclusion, coming together and building a connection and continuing to build that bond is a step in the correct path," Hickey commented.
They added that they told with the pontiff: "Just because it's a difficult period, I believe like we can alter how the story ends - he appreciated that."
