FunkyFalcon
Well-known member
Survivors of sex abuse by Catholic clergy have expressed optimism after meeting Pope Leo for the first time, a historic gathering that marked a significant step towards change. The group, comprising survivors from over 30 countries and representatives of Ending Clergy Abuse (ECA Global), sat down with the new Pope in his Vatican office, sharing their personal stories and pushing for a global zero-tolerance policy.
The meeting was seen as a major breakthrough, with some survivors hailing it as "a big step for all of us" and expressing hope that it would set the tone for Pope Leo's papacy. Hickey, board president of ECA Global, praised the Pope's empathy and willingness to listen, noting that he seemed "genuine, realistic, and very open and eager to collaborate with us."
The group's demands include a change in canon law to adopt a zero-tolerance policy worldwide, which would involve permanently removing priests who admit or are proven to have abused children. They also want bishops and major superiors held accountable for negligence and cover-ups.
While some progress has been made under Pope Francis' predecessor, problems persist, and the Vatican has struggled to root out abuse. A recent report by the Vatican's child protection commission highlighted the need for a streamlined protocol for dealing with abuse cases, including the resignation or removal of Church leaders involved.
The meeting marked an important turning point in the fight against clergy sex abuse, with survivors expressing hope that the Pope would work towards creating change. As Hickey noted, "This is as much a risk for him to engage in a dialogue as it was for us." The outcome may not be immediate, but the gesture of trust and collaboration marks an important step forward.
The Pope's approach has been welcomed by some survivors, who feel that their voices are finally being heard. One survivor shared their story with the Pope, describing how they were abused at a Catholic residential school in Canada. The Pope's reaction was described as "tender," and he seemed to appreciate the gravity of the situation.
While much work remains to be done, this meeting has given survivors reason to hope that they can finally see an end to the dark chapter of clergy sex abuse within the Catholic Church.
The meeting was seen as a major breakthrough, with some survivors hailing it as "a big step for all of us" and expressing hope that it would set the tone for Pope Leo's papacy. Hickey, board president of ECA Global, praised the Pope's empathy and willingness to listen, noting that he seemed "genuine, realistic, and very open and eager to collaborate with us."
The group's demands include a change in canon law to adopt a zero-tolerance policy worldwide, which would involve permanently removing priests who admit or are proven to have abused children. They also want bishops and major superiors held accountable for negligence and cover-ups.
While some progress has been made under Pope Francis' predecessor, problems persist, and the Vatican has struggled to root out abuse. A recent report by the Vatican's child protection commission highlighted the need for a streamlined protocol for dealing with abuse cases, including the resignation or removal of Church leaders involved.
The meeting marked an important turning point in the fight against clergy sex abuse, with survivors expressing hope that the Pope would work towards creating change. As Hickey noted, "This is as much a risk for him to engage in a dialogue as it was for us." The outcome may not be immediate, but the gesture of trust and collaboration marks an important step forward.
The Pope's approach has been welcomed by some survivors, who feel that their voices are finally being heard. One survivor shared their story with the Pope, describing how they were abused at a Catholic residential school in Canada. The Pope's reaction was described as "tender," and he seemed to appreciate the gravity of the situation.
While much work remains to be done, this meeting has given survivors reason to hope that they can finally see an end to the dark chapter of clergy sex abuse within the Catholic Church.
and honestly it's a big deal! his willingness to listen is real 
and survivors are hopeful that he'll make some actual change happen 
but let's be real, the vatican's had years to get it together and still struggled with abuse...so we'll see how this plays out 
[1] 
but let's not forget, we've been hearing similar promises for years now 
and where are those progress? 
... like, seriously though, if pope leo really wants to make a change, he needs to take some major action 
.
was it because pope leo's predecessor didn't do enough? 
or is there something more complex going on? 
. I mean, come on, 30 countries and a whole lotta pain & suffering just cuz some dude in a fancy robe decided to mess with kids 
. Zero tolerance policy sounds good to me, lets get rid of all the priests who got caught doin it the wrong way 
. But I gotta say, Pope Leo seems like a decent dude, at least he's willin to listen and stuff 
. Its about time those bishops & major superiors got called out for their negligence too 
. It's about time something like this happened - all those years of silence and cover-ups have been damaging so many lives 
. I'm not expecting everything to change overnight, but at least there's a glimmer of hope that the Church is finally starting to face its demons 
Is that really all we're getting? A gentle nod and a promise to do better? I want to see real change, like resignation or removal of Church leaders involved in abuse cases. Anything less feels like just another empty gesture 
! It's about time we start seeing some real change in how the Vatican handles these heinous crimes 
.
. It's about time we take action against clergy sex abuse, and having a global zero-tolerance policy would be a huge step forward 
. The Vatican needs to get its act together and create a streamlined protocol for dealing with these cases, including holding bishops and superiors accountable 
. I'm optimistic that this meeting marks the start of something big, but we need to see some real change soon 
. It's about time our voices are finally being heard 
.
!