Individuals who experienced sexual abuse by Catholic clergy have expressed renewed hope following their initial encounter with the new Pope at the Holy See.
The board president, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, stated that the Pope's choice to engage with them so soon in his leadership spoke volumes about his commitment to tackling the issue.
Global Strict Approach Advocated
The organization is pushing for a global strict approach that would defrock any clergy member who confesses to or is proven of sexually abusing a minor. This policy has already been adopted in the US.
The Pontiff acknowledged that there is "resistance in some parts of the globe" to this initiative, according to Hickey.
"Everyone was practical when we acknowledged that there is resistance," Hickey remarked.
Legacy Issue
The current pontiff, who assumed the position in May, has taken on this longstanding issue that has plagued the Church for many years.
Earlier attempts to address the problem included an historic meeting on paedophilia within the Church and revisions to church laws to clearly outlaw abuse.
Deeply Felt Connection
For the representative, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the policy is personal. The Canadian activist shared they were victimized by a priest who was subsequently moved between different parishes.
"We trust this will establish the direction for his leadership, because we want to work with him," Hickey expressed. "We have the same goal, we want to end clergy abuse."
Historic Meeting
Multiple members of the organization, which includes victims and supporters from over thirty countries, met with the Pope in his Vatican office.
The discussion, originally scheduled for 20 minutes, lasted to a full hour, during which the religious leader "primarily heard to us," according to Hickey.
The pontiff was characterized as "quite empathetic" when listening to the account of a female survivor abused at a Catholic residential school for Indigenous children in Canada.
They added the Pope was "compassionate" about their own story and appeared "very humble, funny, and very down to earth."
"Victims have consistently sought a seat at the table and I didn't feel like he was giving us lip service," Hickey stated. "I believed like he was sincere, realistic, and receptive and eager to collaborate with us."
Canon Law Changes
The organization is hoping that revisions to canon law will enable the implementation of the strict approach worldwide.
They have spoken with experts and compiled materials that they will submit to the pontiff.
"He seemed engaged in reviewing it," they remarked.
Responsibility Emphasized
A recently released Vatican-commissioned report highlighted the "necessity of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or dismissal of religious officials or personnel in cases of misconduct or failure to act."
The report also noted that survivors repeatedly stressed the "urgent need for bishops and major superiors to be made responsible for inaction and cover-up."
Path Ahead
Hickey shared they informed the Pope at the start of their meeting: "This represents as much a risk for him to participate in a dialogue as it was for us."
After the encounter, Hickey expressed optimism for progress.
"We realise it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the end of the day, uniting and building a connection and continuing to strengthen that relationship is a move in the right direction," they stated.
Hickey concluded that they shared with the pontiff: "Even though it's a dark chapter, I feel like we can change how the story ends - he appreciated that."
