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People who experienced abuse by Catholic clergy have expressed fresh optimism following their first encounter with Pope Leo at the Holy See.

The board president, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, stated that the Pope's choice to meet with them so early in his papacy spoke volumes about his dedication to tackling the issue.

Global Strict Approach Pushed

The group is pushing for a global zero-tolerance policy that would permanently remove any priest who confesses to or is proven of abusing a child. This policy has already been adopted in the United States.

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

"Everyone was practical when we acknowledged that there is pushback," Hickey remarked.

Inherited Challenge

The current pontiff, who took the position in May, has taken on this persistent issue that has plagued the Church for many years.

Earlier attempts to resolve the situation included an unprecedented meeting on paedophilia within the institution and revisions to church laws to explicitly criminalize abuse.

Personal Connection

For Hickey, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, the campaign for worldwide adoption of the measure is personal. The North American activist revealed they were abused by a priest who was subsequently moved between different parishes.

"We trust this will establish the direction for his leadership, because we aim to collaborate with him," Hickey stated. "Both sides share the same goal, we want to eliminate abuse by religious officials."

Historic Encounter

Seven representatives of the coalition, which includes victims and advocates from over thirty nations, engaged with the Pontiff in his official residence.

The discussion, originally scheduled for a brief period, extended to a full hour, during which the religious leader "mostly listened to us," according to Hickey.

The pontiff was characterized as "quite empathetic" when listening to the story of a female survivor victimized at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in North America.

They added the Pope was "compassionate" about their personal story and appeared "modest, funny, and very down to earth."

"Victims 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 very open and keen to collaborate with us."

Canon Law Reforms

The group is hoping that revisions to canon law will enable the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy globally.

They have spoken with specialists and compiled documents that they will submit to Pope Leo.

"He seemed engaged in looking at it," Hickey remarked.

Accountability Emphasized

A recently released Vatican-commissioned document emphasized the "importance of a streamlined protocol for the resignation and/or removal of Church leaders or personnel in cases of abuse or failure to act."

The document also noted that victims consistently emphasized the "critical requirement for bishops and senior officials to be made responsible for inaction and concealment."

Path Ahead

Hickey revealed they told the Pope at the start of their meeting: "This represents as much a challenge for him to engage in a conversation as it was for us."

After the meeting, they voiced optimism for future change.

"We understand 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 persisting to strengthen that bond is a step in the right direction," they stated.

Hickey added that they shared with the pontiff: "Even though it's a difficult period, I feel like we can change how the story concludes - he valued that."