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People who experienced abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced fresh optimism after their initial meeting 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 spoke volumes about his dedication to tackling the problem.

Worldwide Strict Approach Advocated

The group is advocating for a worldwide strict approach that would defrock any priest who admits to or is found guilty of sexually abusing a child. 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 acknowledged that there is pushback," Hickey stated.

Inherited Challenge

The current pontiff, who assumed the role in May, has inherited this persistent problem that has haunted the Church for many years.

Previous efforts to address the problem included an unprecedented summit on paedophilia within the institution and revisions to church laws to clearly outlaw sexual abuse.

Personal Connection

For Hickey, who uses they/them pronouns, the drive for worldwide adoption of the measure is personal. The Canadian advocate revealed they were victimized by a clergy member who was subsequently moved between different parishes.

"Hopefully this will establish the direction for his leadership, because we aim to collaborate with him," they expressed. "Both sides share the same goal, we seek to eliminate clergy abuse."

Significant Meeting

Seven representatives of the coalition, which represents survivors and supporters from over thirty nations, met with the Pope in his official residence.

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

The Pope was described as "very understanding" when hearing the story of a woman abused at a church-run institution for Indigenous children in North America.

They added the leader was "tender" about their own story and seemed "modest, funny, and very down to earth."

"Survivors have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't feel like he was giving us lip service," they stated. "I believed like he was sincere, practical, and receptive and keen to collaborate with us."

Canon Law Reforms

The organization is hoping that changes to canon law will enable the implementation of the strict approach worldwide.

They have spoken with experts and compiled documents that they will submit to Pope Leo.

"He appeared engaged in reviewing it," Hickey noted.

Accountability Emphasized

A recent church-ordered document highlighted the "necessity of a efficient process for the stepping down and/or removal of religious officials or personnel 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 made responsible for negligence and concealment."

Moving Forward

The representative shared they informed the pontiff at the beginning of their discussion: "This is as much a risk for him to engage in a dialogue as it was for us."

After the meeting, Hickey voiced optimism for progress.

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

They added that they told with Pope Leo: "Even though it's a difficult period, I believe like we can alter how the story concludes - he valued that."