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

The board president, who leads the anti-abuse organization, stated that the Pope's decision to engage with them so soon in his papacy spoke volumes about his commitment to tackling the problem.

Global Zero-Tolerance Approach Advocated

The group is advocating for a global strict approach that would permanently remove any priest who confesses to or is proven of abusing a child. This approach has been implemented in the US.

The Pontiff recognized that there is "resistance in some parts of the world" to this initiative, according to the representative.

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

Inherited Challenge

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

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

Deeply Felt Connection

For the representative, who prefers gender-neutral pronouns, the campaign for global implementation of the policy is deeply meaningful. The Canadian advocate shared they were victimized by a clergy member who was subsequently transferred between various churches.

"We trust this will set the tone for his papacy, because we want to work with him," they expressed. "We have the same goal, we seek to end clergy abuse."

Historic Meeting

Multiple representatives of the coalition, which includes survivors and advocates from more than 30 nations, met with the Pope in his official residence.

The meeting, originally scheduled for a brief period, lasted to a full hour, during which the Pope "primarily heard to us," according to the representative.

The Pope was described as "very understanding" when listening to the story of a female survivor abused at a Catholic residential school for Indigenous children in Canada.

They noted the Pope was "compassionate" about their personal story and seemed "modest, funny, and approachable."

"Survivors have long wanted a voice in discussions and I didn't feel like he was making empty promises," Hickey stated. "I felt like he was genuine, realistic, and very open and keen to collaborate with us."

Church Regulations Changes

The organization is hoping that revisions to church regulations will enable the adoption of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.

They have consulted experts and compiled materials that they plan to submit to the pontiff.

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

Accountability Highlighted

A recently released church-ordered document emphasized the "importance of a efficient process for the stepping down and/or removal of religious officials or staff in cases of misconduct or negligence."

The report also noted that victims consistently emphasized the "critical requirement for bishops and major superiors to be held accountable for negligence and cover-up."

Moving Forward

The representative shared they informed the pontiff at the start 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 expressed optimism for progress.

"We realise it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the end of the day, coming together and building a relationship and continuing to build that bond is a step in the right direction," Hickey commented.

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