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People 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, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, stated that the Pope's choice to engage with them so soon in his leadership sent a strong message about his commitment to tackling the issue.

Global Strict Policy Advocated

The organization is pushing for a worldwide zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any clergy member who confesses to or is proven of abusing a minor. This policy has been implemented in the United States.

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

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

Legacy Issue

The current pontiff, who took the position in spring, has inherited this longstanding problem that has haunted the Catholic Church for decades.

Previous efforts to address the problem included an historic meeting on paedophilia within the Church and revisions to canon law to clearly outlaw sexual abuse.

Personal Connection

For the representative, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for worldwide adoption of the policy is deeply meaningful. The Canadian activist revealed they were victimized by a priest who was later moved between various churches.

"We trust this will establish the direction for his papacy, because we aim to collaborate with him," Hickey expressed. "We have the same goal, we want to end clergy abuse."

Historic Meeting

Multiple representatives of the coalition, which includes victims and supporters from over thirty nations, engaged with the Pope in his official residence.

The meeting, initially planned for 20 minutes, lasted to a full hour, during which the religious leader "primarily heard to us," according to Hickey.

The Pope was characterized as "quite empathetic" when hearing the account of a woman victimized at a Catholic residential school for Indigenous children in Canada.

They noted the Pope was "compassionate" about their own story and seemed "modest, funny, and approachable."

"Victims have long wanted a voice in discussions and I didn't perceive like he was making empty promises," Hickey stated. "I felt like he was sincere, realistic, and receptive and keen to collaborate with us."

Canon Law Changes

The organization is advocating that changes to canon law will enable the adoption of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.

They have spoken with experts and compiled materials that they will submit to the pontiff.

"He seemed engaged in reviewing it," Hickey noted.

Accountability Highlighted

A recently released Vatican-commissioned document highlighted the "importance of a efficient process for the stepping down and/or removal of Church leaders or personnel in cases of abuse or failure to act."

The report also noted that survivors consistently emphasized the "urgent need for bishops and senior officials to be made responsible for inaction and cover-up."

Path Ahead

The representative revealed they informed the Pope at the beginning of their meeting: "This is as much a challenge for him to participate in a dialogue 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, coming together and building a connection and persisting to build that bond is a step in the correct path," they stated.

Hickey added that they told with the pontiff: "Just because it's a difficult period, I feel like we can change how the narrative ends - he appreciated that."