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Individuals who experienced abuse by church officials have voiced renewed hope after their first encounter with the new Pope at the Vatican.

Gemma Hickey, who leads Ending Clergy Abuse, stated that the pontiff'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 Advocated

The organization is pushing for a global zero-tolerance policy that would permanently remove any priest who admits to or is proven of abusing a child. This policy has already been adopted in the United States.

The Pontiff recognized that there is "opposition in certain regions of the globe" to this initiative, according to the representative.

"We were all being realistic when we acknowledged that there is pushback," Hickey remarked.

Legacy Challenge

The new Pope, who assumed the position in May, has inherited this persistent issue that has haunted the Church for many years.

Earlier attempts to address the situation included an unprecedented summit on child abuse within the institution and changes to church laws to clearly outlaw sexual abuse.

Deeply Felt Link

For Hickey, who prefers gender-neutral pronouns, the campaign for global implementation of the policy is personal. The North American activist shared 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 aim to collaborate with him," Hickey expressed. "We have the common objective, we seek to eliminate abuse by religious officials."

Historic Meeting

Seven members of the coalition, which includes survivors and supporters from over thirty countries, met with the Pontiff in his Vatican office.

The meeting, initially planned for a brief period, extended to a full hour, during which the Pope "primarily heard to us," according to the representative.

The Pope was characterized as "very understanding" when listening to the story of a female survivor victimized at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in Canada.

Hickey added the Pope was "tender" about their personal story and appeared "very humble, funny, and approachable."

"Victims have long wanted 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 very open and keen to work with us."

Church Regulations Changes

The group is advocating that revisions to church regulations will enable the adoption of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.

They have spoken with specialists and compiled documents that they plan to present to Pope Leo.

"He appeared engaged in looking at it," they noted.

Accountability Emphasized

A recent Vatican-commissioned report highlighted the "necessity of a streamlined protocol for the resignation and/or dismissal of Church leaders or staff in cases of misconduct or negligence."

The document also pointed out that survivors consistently emphasized the "critical requirement for bishops and major superiors to be made responsible for inaction and cover-up."

Path Ahead

The representative shared they informed the Pope 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 meeting, they voiced hope for progress.

"We realise it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the end of the day, coming together and establishing a relationship and continuing to strengthen that relationship is a step in the right direction," Hickey stated.

Hickey concluded that they told with the pontiff: "Even though it's a difficult period, I feel like we can change how the narrative concludes - he appreciated that."