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People who experienced abuse by Catholic clergy have expressed fresh optimism after their first encounter with the new Pope at the Vatican.

The board president, heading the anti-abuse organization, stated that the Pope's decision to engage with them so early in his leadership spoke volumes about his dedication to addressing the problem.

Global Strict Approach Advocated

The group is advocating for a global strict approach that would permanently remove any priest who admits to or is found guilty of abusing a minor. This approach has already been adopted in the US.

The Pontiff recognized that there is "opposition in certain regions of the world" to this initiative, according to Hickey.

"Everyone was practical when we acknowledged that there is resistance," they remarked.

Inherited Challenge

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

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

Deeply Felt Link

For the representative, who prefers gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for worldwide adoption of the measure is deeply meaningful. The Canadian activist revealed they were abused by a priest who was later moved between different parishes.

"We trust this will set the tone for his leadership, because we want to work with him," Hickey stated. "Both sides share the same goal, we want to eliminate clergy abuse."

Significant Encounter

Seven representatives of the coalition, which includes survivors and advocates from over thirty countries, engaged with the Pontiff in his Vatican office.

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

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

They added the leader was "compassionate" about their own experience and seemed "very humble, humorous, and very down to earth."

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

Church Regulations Reforms

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

They have consulted experts and gathered documents that they will present to Pope Leo.

"He seemed engaged in looking at it," they noted.

Accountability Emphasized

A recent Vatican-commissioned document highlighted the "importance of a streamlined protocol for the resignation and/or dismissal of religious officials or staff in cases of abuse or negligence."

The document also pointed out that survivors consistently emphasized the "critical requirement for church leaders and senior officials to be made responsible for inaction and concealment."

Moving Forward

The representative revealed they told the Pope at the beginning of their discussion: "This is as much a challenge for him to participate in a dialogue as it was for us."

After the encounter, they expressed hope for progress.

"We realise it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the end of the day, coming together and building a relationship and continuing to build that bond is a move in the correct path," Hickey commented.

They concluded that they told with the pontiff: "Even though it's a dark chapter, I believe like we can change how the story ends - he valued that."