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Individuals who experienced sexual abuse by church officials have expressed renewed hope following their initial meeting with the new Pope at the Holy See.

Gemma Hickey, who leads the anti-abuse organization, stated that the pontiff's choice to meet with them so early in his leadership spoke volumes about his dedication to tackling the issue.

Worldwide Strict Policy Pushed

The organization is pushing for a worldwide strict approach that would permanently remove any clergy member who confesses to or is proven of sexually abusing a child. This approach has been implemented in the United States.

The Pontiff acknowledged that there is "resistance in some parts of the globe" to this initiative, according to the representative.

"We were all being realistic when we acknowledged that there is pushback," they remarked.

Legacy Challenge

The current pontiff, who took the position in spring, has taken on this persistent issue that has plagued the Church for many years.

Earlier attempts to address the situation included an unprecedented summit on child abuse within the Church and changes to canon law to clearly outlaw sexual abuse.

Personal Connection

For the representative, who prefers they/them pronouns, the drive for worldwide adoption of the measure is personal. The North American activist revealed they were victimized by a clergy member who was subsequently moved between various churches.

"We trust this will establish the direction for his leadership, because we want to work with him," Hickey expressed. "Both sides share the same goal, we want to eliminate abuse by religious officials."

Significant Encounter

Seven representatives of the coalition, which includes victims and supporters from over thirty countries, engaged with the Pontiff in his official residence.

The discussion, initially planned for a brief period, extended to a full hour, during which the Pope "primarily heard to us," according to the representative.

The Pope was characterized as "quite empathetic" when hearing the account of a woman victimized at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in Canada.

They noted the Pope was "tender" about their personal story and seemed "very humble, humorous, and very down to earth."

"Victims have consistently sought a seat at the table and I didn't feel like he was making empty promises," Hickey stated. "I believed like he was genuine, realistic, and receptive and keen to work with us."

Church Regulations Reforms

The organization is advocating that changes to church regulations will facilitate the adoption of the strict approach worldwide.

They have consulted specialists and compiled documents that they will present to Pope Leo.

"He appeared engaged in reviewing it," they noted.

Responsibility Emphasized

A recent church-ordered report highlighted the "importance of a streamlined protocol for the resignation and/or dismissal of Church leaders or personnel in cases of misconduct or negligence."

The report also noted that victims consistently emphasized the "urgent need for bishops and senior officials to be made responsible for negligence and cover-up."

Path Ahead

Hickey revealed they told 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 meeting, they voiced 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 continuing to strengthen that bond is a move in the right direction," Hickey stated.

Hickey concluded that they shared with the pontiff: "Just because it's a difficult period, I feel like we can change how the narrative ends - he valued that."