🔗 Share this article Victims of Church Religious Sex Abuse Express Optimism After Encounter with Pope Leo Anti-Abuse Organization board members and victims gather in St. Peter Square after the meeting with Pope Leo Individuals who endured abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced fresh optimism following their first meeting with Pope Leo at the Vatican. Gemma Hickey, who leads Ending Clergy Abuse, commented that the pontiff's choice to meet with them so early in his papacy sent a strong message about his dedication to tackling the problem. Worldwide Strict Approach Advocated The organization is advocating for a worldwide zero-tolerance policy that would permanently remove any priest who confesses to or is proven of abusing a child. This approach has been implemented in the US. The Pontiff recognized that there is "resistance in some parts of the world" to this initiative, according to Hickey. "Everyone was practical when we acknowledged that there is resistance," Hickey stated. Inherited Challenge The current pontiff, who took the position in spring, has taken on this persistent problem that has haunted the Catholic Church for decades. Previous efforts to resolve the situation included an unprecedented summit on child abuse within the institution and revisions to church laws to explicitly criminalize sexual abuse. Personal Connection For Hickey, who prefers gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for worldwide adoption of the measure is deeply meaningful. The Canadian activist revealed they were abused by a clergy member who was later transferred between different parishes. "We trust this will establish the direction for his papacy, because we want to work with him," they stated. "We have the same goal, we want to end abuse by religious officials." Historic Encounter Seven members of the organization, which represents victims and advocates from over thirty nations, met with the Pontiff in his Vatican office. The discussion, originally scheduled for a brief period, extended to a full hour, during which the religious leader "mostly listened to us," according to the representative. The Pope was described as "quite empathetic" when hearing the account of a female survivor victimized at a church-run institution for native youth in Canada. Hickey added the leader was "tender" about their own experience and appeared "modest, humorous, and approachable." "Victims have consistently sought a seat at the table and I didn't feel like he was making empty promises," Hickey commented. "I felt like he was sincere, realistic, and very open and keen to collaborate with us." The Pontiff celebrates Mass in the Vatican on 19 October Church Regulations Changes The group is advocating that revisions to church regulations will enable the adoption of the zero-tolerance policy globally. They have consulted experts and gathered documents that they plan to present to the pontiff. "He appeared interested in reviewing it," they remarked. Accountability Highlighted A recently released church-ordered document emphasized the "importance of a efficient process for the resignation and/or dismissal of Church leaders or staff in cases of abuse or negligence." The report also pointed out that survivors repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for bishops and senior officials to be held accountable for negligence and concealment." Path Ahead The representative revealed they told the Pope at the start of their discussion: "This represents as much a risk for him to engage in a dialogue as it was for us." Following the encounter, Hickey expressed hope for progress. "We understand it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the conclusion, coming together and establishing a connection and continuing to build that relationship is a move in the correct path," they commented. They concluded that they shared with Pope Leo: "Just because it's a dark chapter, I feel like we can alter how the story concludes - he valued that."