🔗 Share this article Survivors of Catholic Clergy Sex Abuse Voice Hope After Encounter with Pope Leo End Clergy Abuse Global representatives and victims pose in St. Peter Square after the meeting with Pope Leo Individuals who endured abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced fresh optimism after their first meeting with Pope Leo at the Holy See. The board president, heading the anti-abuse organization, stated that the Pope's decision to meet with them so soon in his papacy sent a strong message about his dedication to addressing the problem. Global Strict Policy Pushed The organization is advocating for a global zero-tolerance policy that would permanently remove any priest who confesses to or is found guilty of abusing a minor. This approach has been implemented in the US. The Pope recognized that there is "resistance in certain regions of the globe" to this initiative, according to the representative. "Everyone was practical when we acknowledged that there is pushback," Hickey remarked. Inherited Issue The new Pope, who took the position in May, has taken on this persistent issue that has haunted the Church for many years. Previous efforts to address the problem included an historic summit on paedophilia within the institution and changes to church laws to explicitly criminalize sexual abuse. Personal Link For Hickey, who uses they/them pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the policy is personal. The North American activist revealed they were abused by a clergy member who was later transferred between various churches. "Hopefully this will establish the direction for his papacy, because we want to work with him," they expressed. "Both sides share the same goal, we seek to end abuse by religious officials." Historic Encounter Seven representatives of the coalition, which includes survivors and advocates from more than 30 nations, engaged with the Pontiff in his official residence. The meeting, initially planned for a brief period, lasted to a sixty minutes, during which the religious leader "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 church-run institution for Indigenous children in North America. They added the Pope was "compassionate" about their personal story and seemed "very humble, funny, and approachable." "Victims have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't feel like he was making empty promises," Hickey stated. "I believed like he was genuine, practical, and receptive and keen to collaborate with us." The Pontiff celebrates Mass in Vatican City on recently Canon Law Reforms The group is advocating that changes to church regulations will facilitate the adoption of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide. They have consulted specialists and compiled materials that they plan to submit to Pope Leo. "He appeared interested in looking at it," they noted. Accountability Highlighted A recent Vatican-commissioned document highlighted the "necessity of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or dismissal of religious officials or personnel in cases of abuse or failure to act." The report also noted that survivors repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for bishops and major superiors to be held accountable for negligence and concealment." Moving Forward The representative revealed they told the pontiff at the start of their discussion: "This represents as much a challenge for him to engage in a conversation as it was for us." After the encounter, Hickey expressed hope for progress. "We understand it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the end of the day, uniting and establishing a relationship and continuing to build that bond is a step in the right direction," Hickey stated. Hickey concluded that they shared with Pope Leo: "Even though it's a difficult period, I feel like we can change how the story ends - he valued that."