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Individuals who experienced abuse by Catholic clergy have expressed fresh optimism following their initial meeting with the new Pope at the Holy See.

The board president, who leads the anti-abuse organization, stated that the pontiff's decision to meet with them so early in his leadership spoke volumes about his dedication to tackling the issue.

Worldwide Zero-Tolerance Approach Pushed

The group is pushing for a global zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any clergy member who confesses to or is proven of sexually abusing a minor. This approach has already been adopted in the US.

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

"We were all being realistic when we recognized that there is resistance," they remarked.

Inherited Challenge

The new Pope, who assumed the role in spring, has taken on this longstanding problem that has haunted the Catholic Church for many years.

Previous efforts to resolve the problem included an unprecedented meeting on child abuse within the institution and revisions to church laws to explicitly criminalize abuse.

Deeply Felt Link

For the representative, who prefers gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the policy is personal. The Canadian activist revealed they were abused by a clergy member who was later moved between different parishes.

"Hopefully this will set the tone for his papacy, because we want to work with him," Hickey stated. "We have the same goal, we want to eliminate clergy abuse."

Historic Meeting

Multiple members of the organization, which includes survivors and advocates from over thirty nations, engaged with the Pope in his Vatican office.

The discussion, originally scheduled for 20 minutes, extended to a full hour, 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 female survivor abused at a Catholic residential school for Indigenous children in North America.

Hickey noted the Pope was "tender" about their personal story and seemed "modest, humorous, and very down to earth."

"Victims have long wanted a voice in discussions and I didn't perceive like he was making empty promises," Hickey commented. "I believed like he was genuine, realistic, and very open and keen to work with us."

Church Regulations Changes

The group is hoping that revisions to canon law will enable the adoption of the strict approach worldwide.

They have consulted experts and gathered materials that they will present to Pope Leo.

"He appeared engaged in reviewing it," they remarked.

Accountability Emphasized

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

The document also pointed out that survivors repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for bishops and senior officials to be held accountable for inaction and concealment."

Path Ahead

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

After the meeting, Hickey voiced optimism for progress.

"We realise it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the conclusion, coming together and building a connection and persisting to strengthen that bond is a step in the right direction," Hickey stated.

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