People who endured abuse by church officials have voiced fresh optimism following their initial encounter with the new Pope at the Holy See.
The board president, who leads Ending Clergy Abuse, commented that the Pope's choice to engage with them so soon in his leadership sent a strong message about his dedication to tackling the problem.
Global Strict Approach Pushed
The group is advocating for a global strict approach that would defrock any priest who admits to or is found guilty of abusing a child. This approach has already been adopted in the United States.
The Pontiff recognized that there is "resistance in certain regions of the world" to this initiative, according to the representative.
"Everyone was practical when we acknowledged that there is pushback," Hickey stated.
Inherited Challenge
The new Pope, who took the position in spring, has taken on this longstanding issue that has plagued the Catholic Church for decades.
Earlier attempts to address the problem included an historic summit on paedophilia within the institution and revisions to church laws to clearly outlaw sexual abuse.
Personal Connection
For Hickey, who prefers they/them pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the policy is deeply meaningful. The North American 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 want to eliminate clergy abuse."
Significant Meeting
Multiple members of the organization, which represents survivors and supporters from more than 30 countries, engaged with the Pontiff in his official residence.
The discussion, originally scheduled for 20 minutes, lasted to a full hour, during which the religious leader "primarily heard to us," according to Hickey.
The Pope was described as "very understanding" when listening to the story of a female survivor abused at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in North America.
They noted the Pope was "compassionate" about their personal experience and appeared "very humble, funny, and approachable."
"Survivors have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't perceive like he was giving us lip service," they stated. "I believed like he was sincere, practical, and receptive and keen to work with us."
Canon Law Reforms
The group is advocating that changes to canon law will facilitate the implementation of the strict approach worldwide.
They have consulted experts and compiled materials that they plan to present to the pontiff.
"He seemed engaged in reviewing it," they remarked.
Responsibility Highlighted
A recent church-ordered report highlighted the "necessity of a efficient process for the stepping down and/or removal of religious officials or personnel in cases of abuse or negligence."
The report also pointed out that victims consistently emphasized the "critical requirement for church leaders and senior officials to be made responsible for negligence and concealment."
Path Ahead
Hickey revealed they informed the Pope at the beginning of their discussion: "This represents as much a challenge for him to engage in a dialogue as it was for us."
After the encounter, Hickey expressed optimism for future change.
"We realise it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the end of the day, coming together and building a connection and persisting to strengthen that relationship is a move in the correct path," Hickey commented.
They concluded that they told with the pontiff: "Just because it's a dark chapter, I believe like we can change how the narrative ends - he appreciated that."
