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People who experienced sexual abuse by Catholic clergy have expressed renewed hope following their initial encounter with the new Pope at the Holy See.

The board president, who leads the anti-abuse organization, commented that the pontiff's decision to meet with them so soon in his leadership sent a strong message about his commitment to tackling the problem.

Global Strict Policy Advocated

The group is pushing for a global zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any priest who confesses to or is found guilty of abusing a minor. This approach has been implemented in the United States.

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

"We were all being realistic when we recognized that there is resistance," they remarked.

Inherited Issue

The current pontiff, who took the position in May, has taken on this longstanding issue that has haunted the Church for many years.

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

Deeply Felt Link

For Hickey, who prefers they/them pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the measure is deeply meaningful. The Canadian activist revealed they were abused by a clergy member who was later moved between various churches.

"We trust this will set the tone for his papacy, because we aim to collaborate with him," Hickey stated. "Both sides share the common objective, we want to end abuse by religious officials."

Significant Meeting

Seven representatives of the organization, which represents survivors and supporters from more than 30 countries, met with the Pontiff in his official residence.

The meeting, initially planned for a brief period, lasted to a full hour, during which the religious leader "mostly listened to us," according to Hickey.

The Pope was described as "very understanding" when listening to the account of a female survivor abused at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in Canada.

They noted the leader was "tender" about their own story and appeared "very humble, funny, and very down to earth."

"Victims have consistently sought a seat at the table and I didn't feel like he was giving us lip service," they commented. "I felt like he was genuine, practical, and receptive and eager to collaborate with us."

Canon Law Changes

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

They have consulted specialists and gathered documents that they plan to submit to Pope Leo.

"He seemed interested in reviewing it," Hickey remarked.

Accountability Emphasized

A recently released Vatican-commissioned document highlighted the "necessity of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or removal of Church leaders or staff in cases of misconduct or failure to act."

The document also noted that victims consistently emphasized the "urgent need for bishops and senior officials to be held accountable for inaction and concealment."

Path Ahead

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

After the encounter, Hickey expressed hope for progress.

"We understand it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the conclusion, uniting and establishing a connection and continuing to strengthen that relationship is a step in the correct path," they stated.

Hickey added that they told with the pontiff: "Even though it's a dark chapter, I believe like we can alter how the story ends - he appreciated that."