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People who endured abuse by church officials have expressed fresh optimism after their initial encounter with the new Pope 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 papacy sent a strong message about his dedication to addressing the issue.

Worldwide Zero-Tolerance Policy Pushed

The organization is advocating for a global zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any priest who confesses to or is proven of abusing a minor. This policy has been implemented in the US.

The Pope acknowledged that there is "opposition in certain regions of the globe" to this initiative, according to Hickey.

"Everyone was practical when we acknowledged that there is resistance," Hickey stated.

Inherited Issue

The current pontiff, who assumed the position in spring, has taken on this longstanding issue that has plagued the Church for decades.

Previous efforts to address the problem included an historic summit on paedophilia within the Church and changes to canon law to clearly outlaw abuse.

Personal Link

For Hickey, who uses they/them pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the policy is deeply meaningful. The North American advocate revealed they were abused by a priest who was later moved between different parishes.

"We trust this will set the tone for his papacy, because we aim to work with him," Hickey stated. "We have the common objective, we seek to end clergy abuse."

Significant Encounter

Multiple representatives of the coalition, which includes victims and supporters from more than 30 nations, engaged with the Pope in his Vatican office.

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

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

Hickey added the Pope was "compassionate" about their personal experience and seemed "modest, humorous, and approachable."

"Survivors have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't feel like he was making empty promises," they commented. "I believed like he was genuine, practical, and receptive and eager to work with us."

Church Regulations Reforms

The organization is hoping that changes to church regulations will enable the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.

They have consulted experts and gathered materials that they plan to present to the pontiff.

"He seemed engaged in looking at it," they remarked.

Accountability Highlighted

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

The report also pointed out that survivors repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for bishops and senior officials to be held accountable for inaction and cover-up."

Path Ahead

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

After the encounter, they voiced optimism for progress.

"We understand it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the end of the day, uniting and establishing a relationship and persisting to strengthen that relationship is a move in the correct path," they stated.

Hickey concluded that they told with Pope Leo: "Even though it's a dark chapter, I feel like we can alter how the narrative ends - he appreciated that."