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Individuals who experienced sexual abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced fresh optimism after their initial encounter with Pope Leo at the Vatican.

Gemma Hickey, who leads Ending Clergy Abuse, stated that the Pope's decision to engage with them so soon in his papacy spoke volumes about his dedication to tackling the problem.

Worldwide Strict Approach Advocated

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

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

"We were all being realistic when we acknowledged that there is pushback," they remarked.

Inherited Issue

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

Previous efforts to resolve the problem included an unprecedented summit on child abuse within the Church and revisions to church laws to clearly outlaw sexual abuse.

Deeply Felt Connection

For Hickey, who prefers gender-neutral pronouns, the drive for worldwide adoption of the measure is deeply meaningful. The North American activist revealed they were abused by a clergy member who was later moved between different parishes.

"Hopefully this will set the tone for his leadership, because we want to work with him," they expressed. "Both sides share the common objective, we seek to end abuse by religious officials."

Significant Encounter

Multiple members of the organization, which represents survivors and advocates from more than 30 nations, engaged with the Pontiff in his official residence.

The discussion, initially planned for 20 minutes, extended to a full hour, during which the religious leader "mostly listened to us," according to Hickey.

The Pope was characterized as "quite empathetic" when hearing the account of a woman victimized at a church-run institution for native youth in Canada.

They added the Pope was "compassionate" about their personal experience and seemed "modest, humorous, and approachable."

"Victims have consistently sought a seat at the table and I didn't feel like he was giving us lip service," they commented. "I believed like he was sincere, practical, and receptive and keen to collaborate with us."

Church Regulations Reforms

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

They have spoken with specialists and compiled materials that they plan to submit to the pontiff.

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

Accountability Emphasized

A recently released church-ordered report emphasized the "necessity of a efficient process for the stepping down and/or removal of Church leaders or staff in cases of abuse or negligence."

The report also noted that survivors repeatedly stressed the "urgent need for bishops and major superiors to be held accountable for inaction and cover-up."

Moving Forward

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

After the meeting, they expressed hope for progress.

"We understand it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the conclusion, uniting and building a connection and continuing to build that relationship is a move in the right direction," Hickey stated.

They concluded that they shared with the pontiff: "Even though it's a difficult period, I feel like we can alter how the story ends - he appreciated that."