People who endured sexual abuse by church officials have voiced fresh optimism after their initial encounter with the new Pope at the Vatican.
The board president, heading the anti-abuse organization, commented that the Pope's decision to meet with them so soon in his papacy spoke volumes about his dedication to addressing the issue.
Worldwide Strict Policy Advocated
The group is pushing for a global zero-tolerance policy that would permanently remove any clergy member who confesses to or is found guilty of sexually abusing a minor. This policy has already been adopted in the US.
The Pope recognized that there is "resistance in some parts of the globe" to this proposal, according to Hickey.
"We were all being realistic when we acknowledged that there is pushback," they stated.
Legacy Issue
The current pontiff, who assumed the position in May, has inherited this longstanding problem that has plagued the Church for decades.
Earlier attempts to address the situation included an historic summit on child abuse within the institution and revisions to canon law to clearly outlaw sexual 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 revealed they were victimized by a priest who was subsequently moved between different parishes.
"We trust this will set the tone for his papacy, because we aim 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 represents victims and supporters from over thirty nations, engaged with the Pontiff in his Vatican office.
The discussion, initially planned for a brief period, lasted to a full hour, during which the religious leader "primarily heard to us," according to Hickey.
The Pope was characterized as "very understanding" when listening to the account of a woman victimized at a Catholic residential school for Indigenous children in Canada.
Hickey added the leader was "tender" about their own story and appeared "very humble, humorous, and very down to earth."
"Victims have consistently sought a seat at the table and I didn't perceive like he was giving us lip service," they stated. "I believed like he was sincere, realistic, and receptive and keen to work with us."
Church Regulations Changes
The organization is advocating that revisions to church regulations will facilitate the implementation of the strict approach worldwide.
They have consulted experts and gathered documents that they will present to the pontiff.
"He appeared engaged in reviewing it," they noted.
Accountability Highlighted
A recent church-ordered document emphasized the "necessity of a efficient process for the stepping down 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 church leaders and senior officials to be held accountable for negligence and concealment."
Moving Forward
Hickey revealed they told the Pope at the start of their discussion: "This is as much a risk for him to engage in a dialogue as it was for us."
Following the meeting, Hickey voiced hope for progress.
"We understand it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the conclusion, uniting and building a relationship and persisting to build that relationship is a move in the correct path," Hickey commented.
They added that they shared with the pontiff: "Even though it's a difficult period, I feel like we can alter how the narrative ends - he valued that."
