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People who endured abuse by Catholic clergy have expressed fresh optimism after their initial encounter with the new Pope at the Holy See.

Gemma Hickey, heading the anti-abuse organization, stated that the Pope's choice to engage with them so early in his papacy sent a strong message about his commitment to addressing the problem.

Worldwide Zero-Tolerance Approach Advocated

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

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

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

Legacy Issue

The current pontiff, who assumed the position in spring, has inherited this longstanding issue that has haunted the Catholic Church for decades.

Previous efforts to address the problem included an historic summit on paedophilia within the Church and changes to canon law to explicitly criminalize abuse.

Deeply Felt Connection

For Hickey, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for worldwide adoption of the policy is personal. The North American advocate revealed they were abused by a clergy member who was subsequently transferred between various churches.

"Hopefully this will set the tone for his papacy, because we aim to collaborate with him," they stated. "We have the same goal, we want to eliminate clergy abuse."

Historic Encounter

Seven representatives of the organization, which includes victims and supporters from over thirty countries, engaged with the Pope in his official residence.

The meeting, initially planned for a brief period, lasted to a full hour, during which the religious leader "primarily heard to us," according to the representative.

The Pope was characterized as "very understanding" when hearing the story of a female survivor victimized at a church-run institution for native youth in North America.

They added the Pope was "tender" about their own experience and seemed "very humble, funny, and approachable."

"Victims have long wanted a voice in discussions and I didn't perceive like he was making empty promises," they commented. "I believed like he was sincere, practical, and receptive and keen to work with us."

Canon Law Reforms

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

They have consulted specialists and gathered materials that they plan to present to Pope Leo.

"He seemed interested in reviewing it," Hickey remarked.

Accountability Highlighted

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

The report also pointed out that victims consistently emphasized the "urgent need for bishops and senior officials to be made responsible for negligence and concealment."

Moving Forward

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

After the encounter, they voiced hope for future change.

"We understand it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the conclusion, uniting and building a connection and persisting to strengthen that relationship is a move in the right direction," Hickey stated.

They concluded that they told with Pope Leo: "Even though it's a difficult period, I feel like we can alter how the narrative concludes - he appreciated that."