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Individuals who experienced sexual abuse by church officials have voiced renewed hope after their first meeting with the new Pope at the Vatican.

The board president, who leads the anti-abuse organization, stated that the Pope's choice to meet with them so early in his leadership sent a strong message about his dedication to tackling the issue.

Worldwide Strict Policy Advocated

The group is advocating for a worldwide strict approach that would permanently remove any clergy member who admits to or is proven of abusing a minor. This policy has been implemented in the US.

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

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

Inherited Issue

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

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

Personal Connection

For Hickey, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for worldwide adoption of the measure is deeply meaningful. The North American advocate shared they were abused by a priest who was subsequently transferred between different parishes.

"We trust this will set the tone for his papacy, because we aim to collaborate with him," Hickey stated. "We have the same goal, we seek to end clergy abuse."

Historic Meeting

Seven representatives of the organization, which includes survivors and supporters from over thirty countries, engaged with the Pope in his Vatican office.

The meeting, initially planned for a brief period, extended to a sixty minutes, during which the Pope "primarily heard to us," according to the representative.

The Pope was characterized as "very understanding" when hearing the story of a woman victimized at a Catholic residential school for native youth in North America.

They noted the leader was "compassionate" about their own story and seemed "very humble, funny, and approachable."

"Victims have consistently sought a seat at the table and I didn't perceive like he was making empty promises," they stated. "I believed like he was sincere, practical, and receptive and keen to work with us."

Church Regulations Reforms

The group is advocating that revisions to canon law will facilitate the adoption of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.

They have spoken with experts and gathered documents that they will submit to Pope Leo.

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

Responsibility Highlighted

A recent Vatican-commissioned document highlighted the "importance of a streamlined protocol for the resignation and/or removal of Church leaders or personnel in cases of abuse or negligence."

The document also pointed out that victims consistently emphasized the "critical requirement for bishops and major superiors to be made responsible for negligence and cover-up."

Moving Forward

Hickey revealed they told the Pope at the start of their discussion: "This is as much a risk for him to participate in a conversation as it was for us."

Following the meeting, Hickey voiced hope for future change.

"We understand it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the end of the day, uniting and building a relationship and continuing to build that bond is a step in the correct path," Hickey stated.

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