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People who endured sexual abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced fresh optimism following their first encounter with Pope Leo at the Vatican.

Gemma Hickey, who leads the anti-abuse organization, stated that the Pope's decision to meet with them so soon in his leadership sent a strong message about his dedication to addressing the issue.

Worldwide Zero-Tolerance Approach Pushed

The group is advocating for a worldwide zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any priest who confesses to or is found guilty of abusing a minor. This approach has been implemented in the United States.

The Pontiff acknowledged that there is "opposition in some parts of the world" to this initiative, according to Hickey.

"We were all being realistic when we recognized that there is pushback," they stated.

Inherited Issue

The new Pope, who assumed the position in spring, has inherited this longstanding issue that has haunted the Catholic Church for decades.

Earlier attempts to address the problem included an unprecedented summit on paedophilia within the institution and revisions to canon law to clearly outlaw sexual abuse.

Deeply Felt Link

For Hickey, who uses they/them pronouns, the campaign for worldwide adoption of the measure is deeply meaningful. The Canadian activist shared they were victimized by a priest who was subsequently transferred between different parishes.

"Hopefully this will set the tone for his papacy, because we want to work with him," they stated. "Both sides share the common objective, we want to eliminate abuse by religious officials."

Significant Meeting

Multiple members of the organization, which includes survivors and advocates from more than 30 nations, engaged with the Pontiff in his official residence.

The discussion, originally scheduled for a brief period, extended to a sixty minutes, during which the religious leader "mostly listened to us," according to Hickey.

The Pope was described as "very understanding" when listening to the story of a female survivor victimized at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in North America.

They added the Pope was "tender" about their own story and appeared "modest, humorous, and approachable."

"Survivors have consistently sought a seat at the table and I didn't feel like he was making empty promises," Hickey stated. "I felt like he was sincere, realistic, and very open and eager to work with us."

Church Regulations Reforms

The organization is hoping that revisions to canon law will enable 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," Hickey remarked.

Accountability Highlighted

A recently released church-ordered report emphasized the "importance of a streamlined protocol for the resignation and/or removal of religious officials or personnel in cases of misconduct or negligence."

The report also pointed out that victims consistently emphasized the "critical requirement for bishops and major superiors to be made responsible for inaction and concealment."

Moving Forward

Hickey shared they told the pontiff at the start of their meeting: "This is as much a risk for him to participate in a conversation as it was for us."

Following the encounter, they expressed hope for future change.

"We realise it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the conclusion, uniting and establishing a relationship and continuing to strengthen that bond is a step in the right direction," Hickey commented.

Hickey added that they told with Pope Leo: "Just because it's a difficult period, I believe like we can alter how the story concludes - he appreciated that."