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People who endured sexual abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced renewed hope after their first meeting with Pope Leo at the Vatican.

Gemma Hickey, heading Ending Clergy Abuse, stated that the pontiff's choice to meet with them so soon in his leadership spoke volumes about his commitment to addressing the problem.

Worldwide Strict Approach Advocated

The organization is advocating for a global zero-tolerance policy that would permanently remove any clergy member who confesses to or is proven of abusing a minor. This policy has already been adopted in the US.

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

"We were all being realistic when we acknowledged that there is resistance," Hickey remarked.

Legacy Issue

The new Pope, who took the role in May, has inherited this persistent issue that has plagued the Catholic Church for many years.

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

Personal Link

For Hickey, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, the campaign for worldwide adoption of the policy is deeply meaningful. The Canadian advocate shared they were abused by a clergy member who was subsequently moved between various churches.

"We trust this will establish the direction for his papacy, because we aim to work with him," they stated. "Both sides share the same goal, we seek to eliminate abuse by religious officials."

Historic Encounter

Seven representatives of the coalition, which represents victims and advocates from more than 30 nations, engaged with the Pontiff in his Vatican office.

The meeting, originally scheduled for 20 minutes, extended to a full hour, during which the Pope "primarily heard to us," according to Hickey.

The pontiff was characterized as "very understanding" when listening to the account of a female survivor victimized at a church-run institution for native youth in North America.

They noted the Pope was "compassionate" about their own story and appeared "very humble, funny, and approachable."

"Survivors have long wanted a seat at the table and I didn't perceive like he was making empty promises," they commented. "I believed like he was genuine, realistic, and receptive and eager to work with us."

Canon Law Reforms

The organization is hoping that revisions to church regulations will enable the implementation of the strict approach worldwide.

They have consulted specialists and gathered materials that they will submit to Pope Leo.

"He seemed interested in looking at it," they remarked.

Accountability Highlighted

A recently released church-ordered report highlighted the "necessity of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or removal of Church leaders or staff in cases of misconduct or failure to act."

The report also noted that victims repeatedly stressed the "critical requirement for bishops and major superiors to be held accountable for inaction and cover-up."

Path Ahead

Hickey revealed they told the pontiff at the beginning of their discussion: "This represents as much a risk for him to participate in a conversation as it was for us."

After the meeting, they expressed optimism for progress.

"We realise it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the conclusion, uniting and establishing a relationship and continuing to strengthen that bond is a move in the correct path," they stated.

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