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People who experienced abuse by church officials have expressed renewed hope after their first encounter with the new Pope at the Vatican.

The board president, heading the anti-abuse organization, stated that the Pope's decision to engage with them so soon in his papacy spoke volumes about his dedication to tackling the issue.

Worldwide Zero-Tolerance Approach Advocated

The group is pushing for a global zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any clergy member who admits to or is proven of abusing a minor. This approach has already been adopted in the US.

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

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

Legacy Challenge

The current pontiff, who took 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 historic summit on paedophilia within the institution and changes to church laws to explicitly criminalize abuse.

Deeply Felt Connection

For the representative, who uses they/them pronouns, the campaign for global implementation of the measure is deeply meaningful. The Canadian advocate revealed they were victimized by a clergy member who was subsequently moved between various churches.

"We trust this will establish the direction for his papacy, because we want to work with him," Hickey stated. "We have the common objective, we want to end clergy abuse."

Historic Meeting

Multiple members of the coalition, which represents survivors and advocates from over thirty countries, engaged with the Pontiff in his official residence.

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

The Pope was described as "quite empathetic" when hearing the story of a woman abused at a Catholic residential school for Indigenous children in Canada.

Hickey added the Pope was "compassionate" about their own story and appeared "very humble, funny, and very down to earth."

"Survivors have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't perceive like he was making empty promises," they stated. "I felt like he was sincere, realistic, and receptive and keen to collaborate with us."

Canon Law Changes

The organization is hoping that revisions to church regulations will facilitate the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.

They have consulted experts and compiled documents that they plan to submit to the pontiff.

"He appeared interested in looking at it," they noted.

Accountability Emphasized

A recently released church-ordered report emphasized the "importance of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or removal of Church leaders or personnel in cases of abuse or negligence."

The report also noted that victims repeatedly stressed the "urgent need for bishops and major superiors to be made responsible for inaction and concealment."

Moving Forward

Hickey revealed they informed the Pope at the beginning of their discussion: "This is as much a challenge for him to engage in a conversation as it was for us."

Following the encounter, they voiced optimism for progress.

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

They concluded that they told with the pontiff: "Just because it's a difficult period, I believe like we can alter how the story concludes - he valued that."