🔗 Share this article Survivors of Catholic Clergy Sex Abuse Express Optimism Following Meeting with Pope Leo End Clergy Abuse Global representatives and survivors gather in Vatican Square following the meeting with Pope Leo People who experienced sexual abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced renewed hope after their initial encounter 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 papacy spoke volumes about his dedication to addressing the problem. Worldwide Zero-Tolerance Approach Advocated The organization is advocating for a worldwide strict approach that would permanently remove any clergy member who admits to or is found guilty of abusing a minor. This approach has already been adopted in the United States. The Pontiff recognized that there is "resistance in certain regions of the globe" to this initiative, according to Hickey. "We were all being realistic when we acknowledged that there is pushback," they stated. Legacy Challenge The new Pope, who assumed the position in May, has taken on this persistent problem that has haunted the Church for decades. Previous efforts to resolve the problem included an historic meeting on child abuse within the Church and changes to church laws to clearly outlaw abuse. Deeply Felt Link For the representative, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the policy is deeply meaningful. The North American advocate shared they were abused by a priest who was subsequently moved between different parishes. "We trust this will establish the direction for his leadership, because we want to collaborate with him," Hickey stated. "Both sides share the same goal, we want to eliminate clergy abuse." Significant Encounter Seven representatives of the coalition, which includes victims and advocates from more than 30 countries, engaged with the Pontiff in his official residence. The discussion, originally scheduled for 20 minutes, extended to a sixty minutes, during which the religious leader "primarily heard to us," according to the representative. The Pope was described as "quite empathetic" when listening to the account of a woman victimized at a church-run institution for native youth in North America. Hickey noted the Pope was "compassionate" about their own story and seemed "modest, funny, and approachable." "Victims have consistently sought a seat at the table and I didn't perceive like he was giving us lip service," Hickey commented. "I believed like he was sincere, realistic, and receptive and eager to work with us." The Pontiff leads religious service in the Vatican on recently Canon Law Reforms The organization is hoping that changes to church regulations will enable the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide. They have spoken with experts and compiled materials that they will present to Pope Leo. "He seemed engaged in reviewing it," they remarked. Responsibility Emphasized A recent Vatican-commissioned report emphasized the "necessity of a efficient process for the resignation and/or removal of religious officials or staff in cases of abuse or failure to act." The report also pointed out that survivors consistently emphasized the "critical requirement for bishops and senior officials to be made responsible for inaction and cover-up." Moving Forward The representative revealed they informed the pontiff at the start of their meeting: "This represents as much a risk for him to engage in a conversation as it was for us." Following the meeting, Hickey expressed hope for future change. "We realise it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the end of the day, uniting and establishing a relationship and persisting to build that relationship is a step in the right direction," Hickey stated. They concluded that they shared with the pontiff: "Just because it's a difficult period, I believe like we can change how the story ends - he appreciated that."