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Individuals who endured abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced fresh optimism following their initial encounter with Pope Leo at the Holy See.

The board president, who leads Ending Clergy Abuse, stated that the pontiff's decision to engage with them so soon in his leadership sent a strong message about his commitment to tackling the issue.

Worldwide Zero-Tolerance Policy Advocated

The group is advocating for a worldwide strict approach that would permanently remove any priest who confesses to or is found guilty of sexually abusing a child. This approach has already been adopted in the US.

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

"Everyone was practical when we recognized that there is resistance," Hickey stated.

Legacy Challenge

The current pontiff, who took the position in spring, has taken on this persistent issue that has plagued the Church for many years.

Earlier attempts to resolve the situation included an historic meeting on paedophilia within the institution and revisions to church laws to explicitly criminalize sexual abuse.

Personal Connection

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

"We trust this will establish the direction for his leadership, because we aim to collaborate with him," Hickey expressed. "We have the common objective, we seek to eliminate clergy abuse."

Significant Meeting

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

The meeting, initially planned for 20 minutes, extended to a full hour, during which the Pope "mostly listened to us," according to the representative.

The pontiff was described as "very understanding" when hearing the account of a woman abused at a church-run institution for native youth in North America.

Hickey noted the Pope was "compassionate" about their personal story and seemed "very humble, funny, and approachable."

"Victims have long wanted a seat at the table and I didn't perceive like he was giving us lip service," Hickey stated. "I believed like he was sincere, realistic, and very open and eager to collaborate with us."

Church Regulations Reforms

The group is advocating that changes to church regulations will facilitate the implementation of the strict approach worldwide.

They have consulted specialists and compiled materials that they will present to Pope Leo.

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

Accountability Highlighted

A recent church-ordered report highlighted the "importance of a streamlined protocol for the resignation and/or removal of religious officials or staff in cases of abuse or negligence."

The report also noted that survivors consistently emphasized the "critical requirement for church leaders and major superiors to be held accountable for inaction and concealment."

Path Ahead

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

After the encounter, they voiced optimism for progress.

"We realise it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the end of the day, uniting and building a connection and persisting to strengthen that relationship is a step in the correct path," Hickey stated.

Hickey added that they shared with the pontiff: "Just because it's a dark chapter, I feel like we can change how the narrative ends - he valued that."