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

The board president, heading the anti-abuse organization, commented that the Pope's choice to engage with them so soon in his papacy sent a strong message about his commitment to addressing the issue.

Global Zero-Tolerance Policy Advocated

The organization is advocating for a worldwide zero-tolerance policy that would permanently remove any priest who confesses to or is found guilty of abusing a minor. This policy has been implemented in the US.

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 stated.

Legacy Challenge

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

Earlier attempts to address the situation included an historic summit on child abuse within the Church and revisions to church laws to clearly outlaw abuse.

Deeply Felt Connection

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

"We trust this will set the tone for his papacy, because we aim to collaborate with him," Hickey stated. "Both sides share the same goal, we seek to end clergy abuse."

Significant Encounter

Seven representatives of the organization, which includes victims and supporters from more than 30 nations, met with the Pope in his Vatican office.

The meeting, originally scheduled for 20 minutes, extended to a sixty minutes, during which the religious leader "primarily heard to us," according to Hickey.

The pontiff was described as "very understanding" when hearing the account of a female survivor victimized at a Catholic residential school for native youth in Canada.

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

"Survivors have consistently sought a seat at the table and I didn't feel like he was giving us lip service," Hickey stated. "I felt like he was genuine, realistic, and receptive and eager to collaborate with us."

Canon Law Changes

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

They have consulted specialists and gathered documents that they will submit to the pontiff.

"He seemed interested in looking at it," Hickey remarked.

Accountability Highlighted

A recently released Vatican-commissioned report highlighted the "importance of a streamlined protocol for the stepping down and/or dismissal of Church leaders or staff in cases of abuse or negligence."

The document also noted that victims consistently emphasized the "urgent need for bishops and senior officials to be made responsible for negligence and concealment."

Path Ahead

The representative shared they told the Pope at the beginning of their discussion: "This is as much a challenge for him to engage in a conversation as it was for us."

Following the meeting, Hickey voiced optimism for future change.

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

They added that they told with Pope Leo: "Even though it's a dark chapter, I believe like we can change how the narrative concludes - he appreciated that."