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People who experienced sexual abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced renewed hope after their initial encounter with the new Pope at the Holy See.

The board president, who leads the anti-abuse organization, commented that the Pope's choice to meet with them so early in his papacy spoke volumes about his dedication to tackling the issue.

Global Zero-Tolerance Policy Advocated

The group is advocating for a worldwide zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any priest who admits to or is proven of abusing a child. This policy has been implemented in the United States.

The Pontiff acknowledged that there is "opposition 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.

Legacy Issue

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

Previous efforts to resolve the problem included an unprecedented meeting on paedophilia within the Church and revisions to canon law to clearly outlaw sexual abuse.

Deeply Felt Connection

For the representative, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, the campaign for global implementation of the measure is personal. The Canadian advocate revealed they were victimized by a clergy member who was later transferred between different parishes.

"We trust this will set the tone for his papacy, because we want to collaborate with him," Hickey stated. "Both sides share the same goal, we want to eliminate abuse by religious officials."

Historic Encounter

Seven representatives of the coalition, which includes survivors and supporters from more than 30 nations, engaged with the Pontiff in his Vatican office.

The discussion, initially planned for a brief period, lasted to a full hour, during which the Pope "primarily heard to us," according to the representative.

The pontiff was described as "quite empathetic" when listening to the account of a woman abused at a Catholic residential school for native youth in Canada.

Hickey added the Pope was "compassionate" about their own story and appeared "very humble, funny, and very down to earth."

"Survivors have consistently sought a seat at the table and I didn't perceive like he was making empty promises," Hickey stated. "I believed like he was sincere, practical, and very open and eager to collaborate with us."

Church Regulations Changes

The group is hoping that revisions to canon law will facilitate the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy globally.

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

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

Responsibility Emphasized

A recently released church-ordered report emphasized the "necessity of a streamlined protocol for the resignation and/or removal of Church leaders or personnel in cases of abuse or failure to act."

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

Path Ahead

The representative shared they told 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."

Following the encounter, Hickey voiced hope for future change.

"We realise it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the conclusion, uniting and building a relationship and persisting to strengthen that bond is a move in the right direction," Hickey stated.

Hickey concluded that they shared with Pope Leo: "Even though it's a difficult period, I feel like we can change how the story concludes - he appreciated that."