Individuals who experienced abuse by church officials have voiced fresh optimism following their initial meeting with the new Pope at the Holy See.
The board president, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, commented that the Pope's decision to engage with them so early in his papacy spoke volumes about his commitment to addressing the problem.
Global Zero-Tolerance Approach Advocated
The organization is pushing for a worldwide zero-tolerance policy that would permanently remove any clergy member who confesses to or is proven of sexually abusing a child. This policy has already been adopted in the US.
The Pope recognized that there is "opposition in certain regions of the globe" to this initiative, according to Hickey.
"We were all being realistic when we acknowledged that there is pushback," Hickey stated.
Legacy Issue
The current pontiff, who assumed the position in May, has inherited this longstanding problem that has haunted the Catholic Church for many years.
Earlier attempts to address the problem included an unprecedented summit on child abuse within the institution and revisions to church laws to clearly outlaw sexual abuse.
Personal Link
For Hickey, who uses they/them pronouns, the campaign for worldwide adoption of the policy is personal. The Canadian advocate shared they were victimized by a priest who was later transferred between different parishes.
"We trust this will set the tone for his papacy, because we aim to work with him," Hickey stated. "We have the same goal, we want to end clergy abuse."
Significant Encounter
Seven members of the coalition, which includes victims and advocates from more than 30 nations, met with the Pontiff in his official residence.
The discussion, initially planned for 20 minutes, extended to a full hour, during which the religious leader "mostly listened to us," according to Hickey.
The pontiff 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 experience and seemed "very humble, funny, and approachable."
"Victims have consistently sought a seat at the table and I didn't feel like he was giving us lip service," Hickey stated. "I felt like he was sincere, practical, and very open and eager to work with us."
Church Regulations Changes
The group is advocating that changes to canon law will facilitate the implementation of the strict approach globally.
They have consulted experts and gathered materials that they plan to present to Pope Leo.
"He seemed engaged in looking at it," Hickey remarked.
Responsibility Highlighted
A recent Vatican-commissioned report emphasized the "importance of a efficient process for the resignation and/or removal of Church leaders or staff in cases of misconduct or negligence."
The document also noted that survivors repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for bishops and senior officials to be held accountable for inaction and cover-up."
Path Ahead
Hickey shared they informed the pontiff at the beginning of their discussion: "This represents as much a risk for him to engage in a dialogue as it was for us."
After the encounter, Hickey expressed hope for future change.
"We understand it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the end of the day, coming together and building a connection and continuing to strengthen that relationship is a move in the correct path," they commented.
They concluded that they shared with the pontiff: "Even though it's a dark chapter, I feel like we can change how the narrative ends - he valued that."
