🔗 Share this article Victims of Catholic Religious Sex Abuse Voice Optimism After Meeting with the Pontiff Anti-Abuse Organization board members and survivors gather in Vatican Square after the meeting with the Pontiff Individuals who endured sexual abuse by Catholic clergy have expressed renewed hope after their first meeting with Pope Leo at the Holy See. Gemma Hickey, heading the anti-abuse organization, commented that the Pope's choice to meet with them so soon in his leadership spoke volumes about his dedication to tackling the issue. Global Zero-Tolerance Policy Pushed The organization is advocating for a worldwide zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any priest who confesses to or is proven of abusing a minor. This policy has already been adopted in the United States. The Pontiff recognized that there is "resistance in some parts of the world" to this proposal, according to Hickey. "We were all being realistic when we recognized that there is resistance," Hickey remarked. Legacy Challenge The new Pope, who assumed the position in spring, has taken on this persistent issue that has haunted the Church for many years. Previous efforts to address the situation included an unprecedented summit on child abuse within the Church and changes to canon law to clearly outlaw abuse. Personal Connection For the representative, who prefers gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for worldwide adoption of the policy is deeply meaningful. The Canadian activist shared they were abused by a priest who was subsequently transferred between different parishes. "We trust this will set the tone for his papacy, because we aim to collaborate with him," they expressed. "We have the same goal, we seek to eliminate abuse by religious officials." Historic Encounter Seven members of the organization, which represents survivors and supporters from more than 30 countries, engaged with the Pontiff in his official residence. The discussion, initially planned for 20 minutes, extended to a sixty minutes, during which the Pope "primarily heard to us," according to Hickey. The pontiff was characterized as "quite empathetic" when listening to the account of a woman victimized at a Catholic residential school for native youth in North America. They noted the Pope was "compassionate" about their own story and seemed "modest, funny, and very down to earth." "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, practical, and receptive and eager to work with us." Pope Leo leads religious service in the Vatican on 19 October Canon Law Reforms The organization is advocating that changes to church regulations will enable the implementation of the strict approach worldwide. They have spoken with specialists and gathered materials that they plan to present to the pontiff. "He appeared interested in reviewing it," they remarked. Accountability Highlighted A recently released Vatican-commissioned report highlighted the "necessity of a efficient process for the stepping down and/or dismissal of religious officials or staff in cases of abuse or failure to act." The document also pointed out that victims repeatedly stressed the "urgent need for church leaders and major superiors to be held accountable for inaction and cover-up." Moving Forward Hickey shared they told the Pope at the beginning 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 voiced optimism for future change. "We realise it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the end of the day, uniting and building a connection and continuing to build that bond is a step in the correct path," they stated. Hickey added that they shared with Pope Leo: "Just because it's a dark chapter, I feel like we can alter how the story ends - he valued that."