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People who experienced sexual abuse by church officials have expressed fresh optimism following their first encounter with Pope Leo at the Vatican.

The board president, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, commented that the Pope's decision to meet with them so early in his leadership spoke volumes about his commitment to tackling the issue.

Global Zero-Tolerance Policy Pushed

The group is advocating for a global zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any priest who admits to or is proven of sexually abusing a minor. This approach has been implemented in the US.

The Pontiff acknowledged that there is "resistance in certain regions of the globe" to this proposal, according to Hickey.

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

Legacy Challenge

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

Earlier attempts to address the problem included an unprecedented summit on paedophilia within the Church and changes to canon law to clearly outlaw abuse.

Deeply Felt Link

For Hickey, who uses they/them pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the measure is personal. The North American activist revealed they were abused by a clergy member who was later transferred between different parishes.

"We trust this will set the tone for his papacy, because we want to work with him," Hickey stated. "We have the same goal, we want to eliminate abuse by religious officials."

Historic Meeting

Seven members of the organization, which includes victims and advocates from more than 30 countries, engaged with the Pontiff in his official residence.

The discussion, originally scheduled for a brief period, extended to a full hour, during which the Pope "primarily heard to us," according to the representative.

The Pope was characterized as "quite empathetic" when listening to the story of a woman victimized at a Catholic residential school for native youth in Canada.

They noted the Pope was "tender" about their own experience and appeared "very humble, funny, and very down to earth."

"Victims have long wanted a seat at the table and I didn't perceive like he was making empty promises," Hickey commented. "I believed like he was sincere, realistic, and very open and keen to collaborate with us."

Church Regulations Changes

The organization is hoping that revisions to canon law will facilitate the adoption of the strict approach worldwide.

They have spoken with experts and gathered materials that they plan to present to Pope Leo.

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

Accountability Highlighted

A recent Vatican-commissioned document emphasized the "necessity of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or removal of religious officials or staff in cases of abuse or negligence."

The report also noted that victims repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for church leaders and major superiors to be made responsible for inaction and cover-up."

Moving Forward

Hickey shared they told the pontiff at the beginning of their meeting: "This is as much a challenge for him to participate in a conversation as it was for us."

Following the meeting, Hickey voiced hope for progress.

"We understand it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the conclusion, coming together and building a relationship and continuing to strengthen that relationship 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 feel like we can change how the narrative ends - he valued that."