Canadian leads group pushing Vatican for zero-tolerance policy on abuse by clergy

ST. JOHN’S, N.L. — An international group led by a Canadian is in Rome this week to push the Catholic Church to adopt a zero-tolerance policy on abuse by clergy.

Newfoundlander Gemma Hickey is the board president of non-profit Ending Clergy Abuse, which is advocating for the church to adopt widespread rules requiring any priest or deacon found guilty of sexual abuse to be removed permanently from ministry.

Hickey and other group members met today with officials from the Dicastery for Legislative Texts, which is the department of the main governing body of the Catholic Church concerned with canonical law.

Hickey says they discussed changes proposed by Ending Clergy Abuse that would see the permanent removal of any cleric found guilty under canon law of even a single act of sexual abuse of a child or vulnerable person.

The Vatican approved a “one strike and you’re out” policy for the U.S. Catholic Church in 2002, which has long stood out as the toughest in the church.

Ending Clergy Abuse is asking the church to adopt that approach across the globe.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 20, 2024.

— With files from The Associated Press.