🔗 Share this article Survivors of Church Clergy Sex Abuse Express Optimism Following Meeting with Pope Leo Anti-Abuse Organization board members and victims gather in St. Peter Square after the encounter with Pope Leo People who experienced sexual abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced fresh optimism after their first meeting with Pope Leo at the Vatican. Gemma Hickey, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, stated that the Pope's choice to engage with them so soon in his papacy sent a strong message about his commitment to tackling the problem. Worldwide Zero-Tolerance Policy Pushed The group is advocating for a worldwide zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any clergy member 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 some parts of the world" to this proposal, according to the representative. "We were all being realistic when we recognized that there is resistance," they stated. Legacy Challenge The current pontiff, who took the position in spring, has inherited this persistent issue that has haunted the Church for decades. Earlier attempts to address the problem included an unprecedented meeting on paedophilia within the institution and changes to canon law to clearly outlaw sexual abuse. Personal Connection For the representative, who prefers gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for worldwide adoption of the policy is personal. The Canadian activist shared they were abused by a priest who was later moved between various churches. "We trust this will set the tone for his leadership, because we aim to collaborate with him," Hickey stated. "We have the common objective, we want to eliminate clergy abuse." Significant Encounter Seven representatives of the coalition, which includes victims and advocates from over thirty countries, engaged with the Pope in his official residence. The meeting, originally scheduled for a brief period, extended to a sixty minutes, during which the religious leader "primarily heard to us," according to the representative. The pontiff was characterized as "very understanding" when listening to the account of a woman victimized at a Catholic residential school for native youth in North America. They added the leader was "tender" about their personal story and seemed "very humble, funny, and very down to earth." "Victims have long wanted a seat at the table and I didn't feel like he was making empty promises," they commented. "I believed like he was genuine, practical, and receptive and keen to work with us." The Pontiff celebrates Mass in the Vatican on recently Canon Law Changes The organization is hoping that revisions to church regulations will enable the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy globally. They have consulted experts and gathered documents that they will submit to Pope Leo. "He appeared engaged in looking at it," they remarked. Responsibility Highlighted A recent church-ordered document emphasized the "necessity of a efficient process for the resignation and/or removal of religious officials or personnel in cases of abuse or failure to act." The report also noted that survivors consistently emphasized the "urgent need for church leaders and major superiors to be made responsible for negligence and cover-up." Path Ahead The representative shared they informed the pontiff at the start of their meeting: "This represents as much a risk for him to engage in a dialogue as it was for us." After the meeting, they voiced hope for progress. "We understand it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the end of the day, coming together and establishing a relationship and continuing to strengthen that bond is a step in the correct path," Hickey stated. They added that they told with the pontiff: "Just because it's a difficult period, I feel like we can alter how the story ends - he valued that."