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Individuals who experienced sexual abuse by church officials have expressed fresh optimism following their initial meeting with Pope Leo at the Vatican.

Gemma Hickey, who leads the anti-abuse organization, commented that the pontiff's choice to meet with them so early in his papacy sent a strong message about his commitment to addressing the issue.

Global Zero-Tolerance Approach Pushed

The organization is pushing for a worldwide zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any clergy member who confesses to or is found guilty of abusing a minor. This policy has been implemented in the US.

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

"Everyone was practical when we recognized that there is pushback," they remarked.

Legacy Challenge

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

Previous efforts to address the problem included an historic summit on paedophilia within the Church and revisions to church laws to clearly outlaw sexual abuse.

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For the representative, who uses they/them pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the policy is deeply meaningful. The North American advocate revealed they were victimized by a priest who was subsequently moved between various churches.

"We trust this will set the tone for his papacy, because we want to work with him," they expressed. "Both sides share the same goal, we seek to eliminate abuse by religious officials."

Historic Meeting

Seven members of the coalition, which includes survivors and advocates from over thirty countries, engaged with the Pope in his Vatican office.

The discussion, initially planned for 20 minutes, extended to a sixty minutes, during which the religious leader "primarily heard to us," according to Hickey.

The Pope was described as "very understanding" when hearing the account of a woman victimized at a church-run institution for native youth in Canada.

They added the leader was "tender" about their personal experience and seemed "modest, funny, and very down to earth."

"Survivors have long wanted a voice in discussions and I didn't feel like he was making empty promises," Hickey commented. "I felt like he was sincere, realistic, and very open and eager to collaborate with us."

Canon Law Reforms

The organization is hoping that revisions to canon law will enable the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy globally.

They have consulted experts and gathered documents that they will submit to the pontiff.

"He appeared engaged in reviewing it," Hickey remarked.

Responsibility Emphasized

A recently released church-ordered 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 document also noted that survivors repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for bishops and major superiors to be made responsible for negligence and cover-up."

Moving Forward

The representative revealed they told the pontiff at the start of their meeting: "This is as much a challenge for him to participate in a conversation as it was for us."

Following the meeting, they expressed hope for future change.

"We understand it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the conclusion, uniting and building a connection and continuing to strengthen that bond is a move in the correct path," Hickey stated.

Hickey added that they told with Pope Leo: "Even though it's a difficult period, I feel like we can change how the story ends - he valued that."