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People who experienced sexual abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced renewed hope after their initial meeting with Pope Leo at the Vatican.

Gemma Hickey, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, commented that the Pope's choice to meet with them so early in his leadership spoke volumes about his dedication to addressing the problem.

Worldwide Strict Policy Pushed

The group is pushing for a global zero-tolerance policy that would permanently remove any priest who admits to or is found guilty of abusing a minor. This policy has been implemented in the US.

The Pontiff acknowledged that there is "opposition in certain regions of the globe" to this proposal, according to the representative.

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

Legacy Challenge

The current pontiff, who assumed the position in May, has inherited this persistent issue that has haunted the Catholic Church for decades.

Earlier attempts to resolve the problem included an unprecedented meeting on paedophilia within the institution and changes to church laws to clearly outlaw abuse.

Deeply Felt Connection

For Hickey, who prefers gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the policy is deeply meaningful. The Canadian activist shared they were abused by a clergy member who was subsequently transferred between different parishes.

"Hopefully this will set the tone for his papacy, because we want to collaborate with him," they expressed. "Both sides share the common objective, we want to end clergy abuse."

Significant Meeting

Seven representatives of the coalition, which represents victims and supporters from over thirty countries, met with the Pope in his Vatican office.

The discussion, initially planned for a brief period, lasted to a full hour, during which the religious leader "primarily heard to us," according to Hickey.

The pontiff was characterized as "quite empathetic" when hearing the story of a female survivor victimized at a Catholic residential school for native youth in North America.

Hickey added the Pope was "compassionate" about their own experience and appeared "modest, funny, 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 commented. "I believed like he was sincere, realistic, and very open and keen to work with us."

Church Regulations Reforms

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

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

"He appeared engaged in looking at it," they noted.

Responsibility Emphasized

A recent Vatican-commissioned document highlighted the "necessity of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or dismissal of Church leaders or personnel in cases of abuse or negligence."

The document also noted that survivors consistently emphasized the "critical requirement for bishops and senior officials to be held accountable for negligence and concealment."

Moving Forward

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

After the encounter, Hickey expressed hope for progress.

"We realise it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the conclusion, uniting and building a connection and continuing to strengthen that bond is a step in the right direction," Hickey commented.

They added that they told with Pope Leo: "Just because it's a dark chapter, I believe like we can alter how the narrative concludes - he appreciated that."