🔗 Share this article Survivors of Church Religious Sex Abuse Voice Hope After Meeting with Pope Leo End Clergy Abuse Global board members and survivors gather in Vatican Square following the encounter with the Pontiff Individuals who experienced sexual abuse by Catholic clergy have expressed renewed hope after their first meeting with Pope Leo at the Vatican. Gemma Hickey, heading the anti-abuse organization, commented that the Pope's decision to engage with them so early in his papacy spoke volumes about his commitment to tackling the issue. Worldwide Strict Approach Advocated The organization is advocating for a global zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any priest who admits to or is proven of abusing a minor. This policy has been implemented in the United States. The Pontiff recognized that there is "resistance in certain regions of the globe" to this proposal, according to the representative. "Everyone was practical when we recognized that there is pushback," they stated. Legacy Challenge The new Pope, who took the position in May, has taken on this longstanding issue that has haunted the Catholic Church for many years. Earlier attempts to address the situation included an unprecedented summit on paedophilia within the institution and changes to church laws to explicitly criminalize sexual abuse. Personal Connection For Hickey, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the measure is deeply meaningful. The North American activist shared they were abused by a priest who was later transferred between different parishes. "Hopefully this will set the tone for his leadership, because we aim to work with him," Hickey expressed. "Both sides share the common objective, we seek to end clergy abuse." Significant Meeting Multiple representatives of the coalition, which represents survivors and advocates from more than 30 countries, met with the Pope in his Vatican office. The discussion, originally scheduled for a brief period, lasted to a full hour, during which the religious leader "primarily heard to us," according to the representative. The pontiff was described as "quite empathetic" when hearing the account of a woman abused at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in Canada. Hickey added the leader was "compassionate" about their own story and seemed "very humble, funny, and very down to earth." "Victims have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't perceive like he was giving us lip service," Hickey stated. "I believed like he was sincere, practical, and very open and eager to work with us." Pope Leo celebrates Mass in Vatican City on recently Canon Law Changes The organization is hoping that changes to church regulations will facilitate the adoption of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide. They have consulted experts and compiled documents that they will present to Pope Leo. "He seemed interested in reviewing it," they noted. Responsibility Emphasized A recently released Vatican-commissioned report emphasized the "importance of a efficient process for the stepping down and/or removal of religious officials or personnel in cases of misconduct or negligence." The document also noted that victims repeatedly stressed the "urgent need for church leaders and major superiors to be held accountable for inaction and concealment." Path Ahead The representative shared they informed the pontiff at the start of their meeting: "This is as much a risk for him to participate in a dialogue as it was for us." Following the encounter, they expressed hope for future change. "We understand it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the conclusion, uniting and building a relationship and persisting to strengthen that relationship is a move in the correct path," Hickey stated. Hickey added that they shared with Pope Leo: "Just because it's a dark chapter, I feel like we can change how the narrative concludes - he appreciated that."