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People who endured sexual abuse by church officials have voiced renewed hope after their first encounter with the new Pope at the Holy See.

Gemma Hickey, who leads the anti-abuse organization, commented that the pontiff's decision to engage with them so soon in his papacy spoke volumes about his dedication to tackling the problem.

Global Zero-Tolerance Policy Pushed

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

The Pontiff recognized that there is "opposition in certain regions of the globe" to this initiative, according to the representative.

"We were all being realistic when we acknowledged that there is resistance," they stated.

Inherited Issue

The new Pope, who took the position in spring, has inherited this longstanding issue that has haunted the Church for decades.

Previous efforts to resolve the problem included an historic summit on child abuse within the Church and revisions to canon law to clearly outlaw abuse.

Deeply Felt Connection

For Hickey, who prefers they/them pronouns, the drive for global implementation of the measure is deeply meaningful. The North American activist revealed they were abused by a priest who was subsequently transferred between different parishes.

"We trust this will set the tone for his papacy, because we want to work with him," Hickey expressed. "Both sides share the common objective, we seek to end clergy abuse."

Historic Meeting

Seven members of the coalition, which represents victims and advocates from over thirty nations, engaged with the Pontiff in his official residence.

The meeting, originally scheduled for a brief period, extended to a sixty minutes, during which the Pope "mostly listened to us," according to Hickey.

The Pope was described as "quite empathetic" when hearing the account of a female survivor victimized at a church-run institution for native youth in North America.

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

"Victims have long wanted a seat at the table and I didn't perceive like he was making empty promises," they stated. "I believed like he was genuine, practical, and receptive and eager to collaborate with us."

Church Regulations Changes

The organization is advocating that changes to canon law will enable the adoption of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.

They have consulted experts and gathered documents that they will present to Pope Leo.

"He appeared interested in reviewing it," they remarked.

Responsibility Emphasized

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

The report also noted that victims repeatedly stressed the "urgent need for bishops and senior officials to be held accountable for negligence and cover-up."

Path Ahead

The representative revealed they informed the Pope at the start of their meeting: "This represents as much a challenge for him to engage in a conversation 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, coming together and establishing a connection and persisting to build that bond is a step in the right direction," Hickey commented.

Hickey concluded that they shared with the pontiff: "Just because it's a dark chapter, I believe like we can alter how the narrative concludes - he valued that."