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People who experienced sexual abuse by church officials have expressed fresh optimism after their initial meeting with Pope Leo at the Vatican.

Gemma Hickey, who leads the anti-abuse organization, commented that the Pope's choice to meet with them so soon in his papacy sent a strong message about his commitment to tackling the issue.

Worldwide Strict Policy Advocated

The organization is pushing for a global strict approach that would defrock any clergy member who admits to or is found guilty of sexually abusing a minor. This policy has been implemented in the United States.

The Pontiff acknowledged that there is "resistance in some parts of the world" to this initiative, according to Hickey.

"We were all being realistic when we recognized that there is pushback," Hickey stated.

Legacy Issue

The new Pope, who took the position in May, has inherited this longstanding problem that has plagued the Catholic Church for many years.

Previous efforts to address the situation included an historic summit on child abuse within the Church and revisions to church laws to explicitly criminalize sexual abuse.

Deeply Felt Link

For the representative, who uses they/them pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the policy is personal. The North American advocate shared they were victimized by a clergy member who was later moved between various churches.

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

Historic Meeting

Seven representatives of the coalition, which includes victims and supporters from over thirty countries, engaged with the Pope in his Vatican office.

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

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

They added the Pope was "tender" about their personal story and seemed "modest, funny, and approachable."

"Survivors have long wanted a voice in discussions and I didn't perceive like he was giving us lip service," they stated. "I believed like he was genuine, realistic, and receptive and eager to work with us."

Canon Law Changes

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

They have consulted specialists and compiled materials that they will present to the pontiff.

"He appeared engaged in looking at it," they remarked.

Accountability Emphasized

A recently released Vatican-commissioned report highlighted the "necessity of a efficient process for the stepping down and/or dismissal of religious officials or personnel in cases of misconduct or failure to act."

The report also pointed out that victims consistently emphasized the "urgent need for church leaders and major superiors to be held accountable for inaction and cover-up."

Path Ahead

Hickey revealed they told the pontiff at the start of their meeting: "This is as much a risk for him to engage in a dialogue as it was for us."

Following the encounter, they voiced hope for progress.

"We realise it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the conclusion, coming together and building a relationship and continuing to strengthen that relationship is a step in the right direction," Hickey commented.

They concluded that they told with Pope Leo: "Just because it's a difficult period, I believe like we can change how the narrative ends - he valued that."