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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 Holy See.

The board president, heading the anti-abuse organization, stated that the pontiff's decision to meet with them so soon in his papacy sent a strong message about his dedication to tackling the issue.

Worldwide Strict Policy Pushed

The organization is pushing for a global strict approach that would permanently remove any clergy member who admits to or is proven of abusing a child. This approach has already been adopted in the US.

The Pope acknowledged that there is "opposition in some parts of the globe" to this proposal, according to Hickey.

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

Inherited Challenge

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

Earlier attempts to resolve the problem included an unprecedented summit on paedophilia within the Church and changes to church laws to clearly outlaw sexual abuse.

Personal Connection

For the representative, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the policy is deeply meaningful. The Canadian activist revealed they were victimized by a clergy member who was later transferred between different parishes.

"Hopefully this will establish the direction for his leadership, because we want to work with him," they stated. "Both sides share the same goal, we seek to end clergy abuse."

Significant Meeting

Multiple members of the coalition, which represents survivors and supporters from more than 30 nations, engaged with the Pontiff in his Vatican office.

The discussion, originally scheduled for a brief period, extended to a sixty minutes, during which the religious leader "mostly listened to us," according to the representative.

The pontiff was characterized as "quite empathetic" when hearing the account of a female survivor abused at a Catholic residential school for native youth in Canada.

They added the Pope was "tender" about their personal experience and appeared "modest, humorous, and approachable."

"Survivors have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't feel like he was making empty promises," they stated. "I felt like he was sincere, practical, and receptive and eager to work with us."

Canon Law Changes

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

They have consulted specialists and compiled documents that they plan to submit to Pope Leo.

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

Responsibility Emphasized

A recent church-ordered report emphasized the "necessity of a streamlined protocol for the resignation and/or removal of Church leaders or staff in cases of misconduct or negligence."

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

Path Ahead

The representative shared they informed the Pope at the start of their discussion: "This is as much a challenge for him to participate in a conversation as it was for us."

After the encounter, they expressed hope for future change.

"We understand it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the end of the day, uniting and building a connection and continuing to strengthen that bond is a move in the right direction," Hickey stated.

Hickey added that they told with the pontiff: "Even though it's a dark chapter, I believe like we can alter how the narrative ends - he appreciated that."