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Individuals who experienced abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced fresh optimism after their first meeting with the new Pope at the Vatican.

Gemma Hickey, heading the anti-abuse organization, stated that the Pope's choice to engage with them so early in his papacy spoke volumes about his dedication to tackling the problem.

Global Zero-Tolerance Approach Pushed

The group is advocating for a global zero-tolerance policy that would permanently remove any clergy member who confesses to or is proven of abusing a child. This policy has already been adopted in the United States.

The Pontiff recognized that there is "resistance in some parts of the world" to this proposal, according to the representative.

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

Inherited Issue

The current pontiff, who took the role in spring, has taken on this persistent issue that has haunted the Catholic Church for many years.

Previous efforts to resolve the problem included an unprecedented summit on paedophilia within the institution and revisions to church laws to explicitly criminalize sexual abuse.

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For Hickey, who prefers gender-neutral pronouns, the campaign for worldwide adoption of the measure is deeply meaningful. The Canadian advocate revealed they were victimized by a priest who was subsequently transferred between different parishes.

"Hopefully this will establish the direction for his papacy, because we aim to work with him," Hickey stated. "We have the same goal, we seek to end abuse by religious officials."

Historic Encounter

Seven representatives of the coalition, which includes 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 the representative.

The pontiff was characterized as "quite empathetic" when listening to the account of a woman abused at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in Canada.

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

"Survivors have long wanted a voice in discussions and I didn't perceive like he was giving us lip service," Hickey commented. "I believed like he was genuine, practical, and receptive and keen to work with us."

Canon Law Changes

The organization is advocating that revisions to church regulations will facilitate the adoption of the zero-tolerance policy globally.

They have spoken with experts and compiled materials that they will present to Pope Leo.

"He appeared interested in reviewing it," they remarked.

Accountability Highlighted

A recent church-ordered report highlighted the "necessity of a streamlined protocol for the resignation and/or removal of religious officials or staff in cases of misconduct or failure to act."

The report also pointed out that survivors consistently emphasized the "urgent need for bishops and senior officials to be held accountable for negligence and concealment."

Path Ahead

Hickey shared they told the Pope at the start of their meeting: "This is as much a challenge for him to engage in a conversation as it was for us."

Following the encounter, they expressed optimism for future change.

"We understand it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the end of the day, uniting and building a relationship and continuing to build that relationship is a step in the right direction," Hickey commented.

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