🔗 Share this article Survivors of Church Religious Sexual Abuse Express Hope After Encounter with Pope Leo End Clergy Abuse Global representatives and survivors pose in Vatican Square after the meeting with the Pontiff People who experienced sexual abuse by church officials have voiced renewed hope following their first encounter with the new Pope at the Vatican. The board president, heading the anti-abuse organization, stated that the Pope's choice to meet with them so early in his papacy sent a strong message about his commitment to tackling the issue. Worldwide Zero-Tolerance Approach Pushed The organization is advocating for a worldwide zero-tolerance policy that would permanently remove any priest who confesses to or is proven of sexually abusing a minor. This policy has already been adopted in the US. The Pope recognized that there is "opposition in certain regions of the globe" to this initiative, according to Hickey. "We were all being realistic when we acknowledged that there is pushback," they stated. Legacy Challenge The new Pope, who took the position in spring, has inherited this persistent problem that has plagued the Church for decades. Earlier attempts to resolve the problem included an unprecedented summit on paedophilia within the Church and revisions to canon law to clearly outlaw abuse. Deeply Felt Link For the representative, who prefers gender-neutral pronouns, the campaign for worldwide adoption of the policy is deeply meaningful. The North American activist revealed they were victimized by a priest who was later transferred between different parishes. "Hopefully this will set the tone for his papacy, because we want to work with him," they expressed. "We have the common objective, we want to eliminate abuse by religious officials." Historic Encounter Seven representatives of the coalition, which includes survivors and supporters from over thirty countries, engaged with the Pope in his Vatican office. The discussion, originally scheduled for a brief period, extended to a full hour, during which the Pope "primarily heard to us," according to Hickey. The Pope was characterized as "very understanding" when listening to the account of a woman victimized at a church-run institution for native youth in North America. Hickey added the Pope was "tender" about their personal story and seemed "very humble, funny, and very down to earth." "Victims have consistently sought a seat at the table and I didn't perceive like he was giving us lip service," they commented. "I felt like he was sincere, realistic, and receptive and keen to collaborate with us." Pope Leo celebrates Mass in Vatican City on recently Canon Law Reforms The organization is advocating that revisions to church regulations will facilitate the adoption of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide. They have consulted experts and gathered materials that they will present to the pontiff. "He appeared engaged in looking at it," Hickey noted. Accountability Highlighted A recent church-ordered document highlighted the "importance of a efficient process for the stepping down and/or dismissal of religious officials or staff in cases of misconduct or failure to act." The report also noted that survivors consistently emphasized the "critical requirement for bishops and major superiors to be held accountable for inaction and concealment." Path Ahead The representative shared they informed the pontiff at the beginning of their meeting: "This is as much a risk for him to engage in a dialogue as it was for us." After the meeting, Hickey expressed hope for progress. "We realise it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the conclusion, coming together and building a connection and persisting to strengthen that relationship is a step in the correct path," they stated. Hickey added that they told with Pope Leo: "Just because it's a dark chapter, I feel like we can change how the story ends - he valued that."