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Individuals who experienced sexual abuse by church officials have expressed renewed hope after their initial encounter with the new Pope at the Holy See.

Gemma Hickey, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, stated that the Pope's choice to meet with them so soon in his papacy sent a strong message about his dedication to addressing the problem.

Global Strict Policy Pushed

The group is advocating for a worldwide strict approach that would defrock any clergy member who confesses to or is proven of sexually abusing a minor. This policy has already been adopted in the United States.

The Pontiff acknowledged that there is "resistance in some parts of the globe" to this initiative, according to Hickey.

"We were all being realistic when we recognized that there is pushback," Hickey stated.

Inherited Issue

The new Pope, who assumed the position in spring, has taken on this longstanding issue that has haunted the Catholic Church for decades.

Earlier attempts to address the situation included an unprecedented meeting on paedophilia within the institution and revisions to canon law to explicitly criminalize abuse.

Deeply Felt Connection

For the representative, who uses they/them pronouns, the drive for worldwide adoption of the measure is personal. The North American activist shared they were abused by a priest who was subsequently moved between various churches.

"Hopefully this will set the tone for his leadership, because we want to collaborate with him," they stated. "We have the same goal, we seek to eliminate clergy abuse."

Historic Meeting

Multiple members of the organization, which represents victims and advocates from more than 30 nations, engaged with the Pope in his Vatican office.

The meeting, originally scheduled for a brief period, lasted to a full hour, during which the religious leader "primarily heard to us," according to Hickey.

The pontiff was described as "very understanding" when hearing the story of a woman victimized at a Catholic residential school for native youth in Canada.

They noted the leader was "tender" about their personal experience and seemed "very humble, humorous, and very down to earth."

"Survivors have long wanted a voice in discussions and I didn't feel like he was making empty promises," Hickey stated. "I felt like he was sincere, realistic, and very open and eager to collaborate with us."

Church Regulations Reforms

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

They have spoken with specialists and gathered documents that they will submit to the pontiff.

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

Responsibility Highlighted

A recent church-ordered document highlighted the "importance of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or removal of religious officials or personnel in cases of abuse or negligence."

The document also pointed out that survivors consistently emphasized the "critical requirement for bishops and major superiors to be held accountable for inaction and cover-up."

Path Ahead

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

Following the encounter, Hickey voiced hope for future change.

"We understand it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the end of the day, coming together and establishing a connection and persisting to strengthen that relationship is a move in the correct path," they stated.

They concluded that they told with the pontiff: "Just because it's a difficult period, I believe like we can change how the story concludes - he appreciated that."