🔗 Share this article Victims of Catholic Clergy Sexual Abuse Express Optimism Following Meeting with Pope Leo End Clergy Abuse Global board members and victims pose in St. Peter Square following the encounter with Pope Leo People who experienced sexual abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced fresh optimism after their first meeting with the new Pope at the Vatican. The board president, heading the anti-abuse organization, commented that the Pope's decision to engage with them so soon in his papacy spoke volumes about his commitment to tackling the problem. Global Zero-Tolerance Policy Pushed The group is pushing for a global zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any clergy member who confesses to or is proven of abusing a child. This policy has been implemented in the US. The Pope recognized that there is "opposition in some parts of the world" to this proposal, according to Hickey. "We were all being realistic when we recognized that there is resistance," Hickey remarked. Inherited Challenge The new Pope, who assumed the role in May, has inherited this persistent problem that has plagued the Church for decades. Earlier attempts to resolve the problem included an unprecedented summit on paedophilia within the institution and changes to canon law to explicitly criminalize sexual abuse. Deeply Felt Connection For Hickey, who uses they/them pronouns, the campaign for global implementation of the policy is personal. The Canadian activist revealed they were victimized by a priest who was subsequently transferred between different parishes. "We trust this will establish the direction for his papacy, because we aim to collaborate with him," Hickey expressed. "We have the same goal, we want to end clergy abuse." Historic Meeting Seven members of the coalition, which represents survivors and supporters from more than 30 countries, engaged with the Pontiff in his Vatican office. The discussion, initially planned for a brief period, extended to a full hour, during which the Pope "mostly listened to us," according to the representative. The pontiff was described as "quite empathetic" when listening to the account of a woman victimized at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in North America. Hickey added the leader was "compassionate" about their own story 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," they commented. "I felt like he was genuine, practical, and very open and eager to collaborate with us." The Pontiff leads religious service in the Vatican on 19 October Canon Law Changes The organization is hoping that changes to canon law will enable the adoption of the zero-tolerance policy globally. They have spoken with experts and compiled materials that they plan to present to the pontiff. "He seemed interested in reviewing it," they remarked. Responsibility Highlighted A recent church-ordered report highlighted the "necessity of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or removal of religious officials or personnel in cases of abuse or failure to act." The document also noted that survivors consistently emphasized the "critical requirement for church leaders and senior officials to be made responsible for inaction and concealment." Path Ahead The representative revealed they told the Pope at the beginning of their discussion: "This represents as much a risk for him to participate in a dialogue as it was for us." After the meeting, Hickey expressed hope for future change. "We realise it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the conclusion, coming together and establishing a relationship and persisting to strengthen that relationship is a step in the right direction," Hickey commented. Hickey added that they shared with Pope Leo: "Even though it's a difficult period, I believe like we can change how the story ends - he appreciated that."