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People who endured abuse by Catholic clergy have expressed renewed hope following their first encounter with Pope Leo at the Holy See.

Gemma Hickey, who leads the anti-abuse organization, stated that the pontiff's choice to engage with them so soon in his leadership sent a strong message about his dedication to addressing the problem.

Worldwide Strict Approach Pushed

The group is pushing for a global zero-tolerance policy that would permanently remove any priest who admits to or is proven of abusing a child. This approach has been implemented in the US.

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

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

Inherited Issue

The current pontiff, who assumed the position in spring, has taken on this longstanding issue that has plagued the Church for decades.

Previous efforts to resolve the problem included an unprecedented meeting on paedophilia within the institution and changes to canon law to clearly outlaw abuse.

Deeply Felt Connection

For the representative, who prefers they/them pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the measure is personal. The Canadian activist shared they were victimized by a priest who was later transferred between different parishes.

"We trust this will set the tone for his papacy, because we want to collaborate with him," Hickey expressed. "Both sides share the same goal, we seek to eliminate clergy abuse."

Historic Meeting

Multiple representatives of the organization, which represents survivors and supporters from over thirty nations, engaged with the Pope in his official residence.

The discussion, originally scheduled for 20 minutes, extended to a sixty minutes, during which the religious leader "primarily heard to us," according to the representative.

The pontiff was characterized as "quite empathetic" when listening to the account of a female survivor abused at a Catholic residential school for Indigenous children in Canada.

Hickey noted the Pope was "tender" about their own story and appeared "modest, humorous, and very down to earth."

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

Church Regulations Changes

The group is hoping that changes to canon law will enable the adoption of the strict approach worldwide.

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

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

Accountability Emphasized

A recent Vatican-commissioned document emphasized the "importance of a efficient process for the resignation and/or dismissal of religious officials or personnel in cases of misconduct or negligence."

The document also noted that victims consistently emphasized the "urgent need for bishops and major superiors to be made responsible for inaction and concealment."

Path Ahead

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

Following the meeting, Hickey voiced optimism for progress.

"We realise it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the end of the day, uniting and establishing a relationship and continuing to build that bond is a move in the right direction," they commented.

They concluded that they told with Pope Leo: "Just because it's a dark chapter, I feel like we can alter how the narrative ends - he appreciated that."