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Individuals who experienced sexual abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced renewed hope 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 soon in his papacy spoke volumes about his commitment to tackling the problem.

Worldwide Strict Policy Pushed

The group is advocating for a worldwide zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any priest who admits to or is found guilty of abusing a child. This policy has already been adopted in the US.

The Pope recognized that there is "resistance in some parts of the world" to this proposal, according to Hickey.

"We were all being realistic when we acknowledged that there is pushback," they stated.

Legacy Challenge

The current pontiff, who took the role in May, has taken on this longstanding issue that has plagued the Church for decades.

Earlier attempts to address the problem included an unprecedented meeting on child abuse within the Church and changes to canon law to clearly outlaw sexual abuse.

Deeply Felt Connection

For the representative, who prefers gender-neutral pronouns, the campaign for worldwide adoption of the measure is personal. The North American advocate revealed they were victimized by a clergy member who was subsequently transferred between various churches.

"We trust this will set the tone for his leadership, because we want to collaborate with him," Hickey stated. "We have the common objective, we seek to end abuse by religious officials."

Historic Meeting

Multiple representatives of the organization, which represents victims and supporters from more than 30 nations, met with the Pope in his Vatican office.

The discussion, originally scheduled for a brief period, lasted to a sixty minutes, during which the religious leader "primarily heard to us," according to the representative.

The pontiff was described as "quite empathetic" when hearing 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 very down to earth."

"Victims have consistently sought a seat at the table and I didn't feel like he was making empty promises," they commented. "I felt like he was sincere, practical, and receptive and eager to collaborate with us."

Canon Law Reforms

The organization is advocating that revisions to canon law will enable the adoption of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.

They have spoken with specialists and compiled materials that they will present to Pope Leo.

"He appeared interested in reviewing it," Hickey noted.

Responsibility Emphasized

A recent Vatican-commissioned document highlighted the "necessity of a streamlined protocol for the resignation and/or dismissal of Church leaders or staff in cases of abuse or failure to act."

The document also noted that victims repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for church leaders and major superiors to be held accountable for negligence and concealment."

Moving Forward

The representative revealed they informed the pontiff at the start of their discussion: "This represents as much a challenge for him to engage in a dialogue as it was for us."

After the meeting, they expressed optimism for future change.

"We understand it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the conclusion, coming together and building a connection and persisting to build that bond is a move in the correct path," Hickey stated.

They concluded that they shared with Pope Leo: "Just because it's a difficult period, I believe like we can change how the narrative concludes - he appreciated that."