Gemma M. Hickey 🇨🇦🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

Int’l Multi Award Winning Author, Humanitarian & Global Speaker. Founder @pathwaysnl & @acts_canada, President @endclergyabuse. (they/them)

[Gemma M. Hickey 🇨🇦🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @justbegemma]

Thanks for sharing this @HubbardJanine. It was an honour to receive the Canadian Psychological Association’s Humanitarian Award at last year’s convention and a real pleasure to be featured on the podcast. Looking forward to continuing the conversation through my article, which I’ll be working on over the summer for publication in the journal.

Wishing you and everyone at the CPA a wonderful convention this year. Grateful for the vital work psychologists do in communities across Canada. Congrats on becoming CPA President! 🇨🇦

[Dr. Janine Hubbard @HubbardJanine]

Amazing podcast with the always fabulous @justbegemma https://t.co/6cmw6oaieN

[Gemma M. Hickey 🇨🇦🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @justbegemma]

Grateful to @hans_zollner for helping me reclaim a positive memory at this cathedral in my home province. Too many churches have been places of betrayal, silence, and unspeakable crimes against children and vulnerable adults. Wounds that can never be erased and truths that must never be hidden. But evil and suffering do not get the final word. We do not honour victims by remaining prisoners of the past; we honour them by demanding truth, accountability, healing, and the courage to build something better. Looking forward to seeing you again in Rome soon, my friend.

#NewfoundlandAndLabrador #GroundZero 🇨🇦🇮🇹

[Hans Zollner SJ @hans_zollner]

Cathedral of St. John the Baptist
St. John's, Newfoundland 🇨🇦

[Hans Zollner SJ @hans_zollner]

Blessed Sunday - buona domenica - feliz domingo - bon dimanche - einen gesegneten Sonntag - bom domingo do Senhor!

Holy Trinity Church
St. John's, Newfoundland

[Hans Zollner SJ @hans_zollner]

The role of Irish immigrants for the presence and practice of Catholic faith in Newfoundland 🇨🇦

[Gemma M. Hickey 🇨🇦🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @justbegemma]

So honoured to have you here, @hans_zollner. Such a meaningful series of events. I’m still taking in the enormity of it all. As both a survivor and an advocate, my heart has been broken many times as a result of this crisis, but just as often been held. ❤️‍🩹

Thanks for the critical work you and your team at @iadcpug continue to do. I’m looking forward to building on what we’ve started here during your visit to my beloved city and province. 🙏

#Safeguarding #GroundZero #StJohns #NewfoundlandAndLabrador 🇨🇦

[Hans Zollner SJ @hans_zollner]

Impressions and thoughts about my recent meetings, conferences and workshops in Canada.
#SafeguardingOurCommitment

[Gemma M. Hickey 🇨🇦🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @justbegemma]

@hans_zollner Thank you! It was a transformative week, made even more special by your presence. 💪🙏

[Hans Zollner SJ @hans_zollner]

Thanks for organizing all of this @justbegemma
It's important to get the message out.
#thread 🧵

[Gemma M. Hickey 🇨🇦🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @justbegemma]

Grateful to Bailey Howard @NTVNewsNL for the thoughtful piece highlighting @hans_zollner’s visit to St. John’s.

It was a busy and impactful week, and every effort to spread the word helped make it a success. 4/4

@pathwaysnl @ENDCLERGYABUSE @iadcpug

#Safeguarding #NewfoundlandAndLabrador 🇨🇦

[Gemma M. Hickey 🇨🇦🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @justbegemma]

At #GroundZero in St. John’s, @hans_zollner speaks with @CdnPressNews in front of the #MountCashel memorial. The two posts behind him, remnants of the original entrance, stand like gravestones. So much was buried here before brave survivors spoke out and changed everything. I ended my month long 938k walk across Newfoundland at this site in summer 2015 to pay homage to those men - my heroes! 1/4

@pathwaysnl, @ENDCLERGYABUSE, @iadcpug, @Pontifex

#Safeguarding #NewfoundlandAndLabrador 🇨🇦

[Gemma M. Hickey 🇨🇦🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @justbegemma]

@CBCNL @hans_zollner @pathwaysnl @ENDCLERGYABUSE @iadcpug In studio @VOCMNEWS in St. John’s
with @hans_zollner. Thanks also to Tim Powers for having me back on his radio show while Hans was in town to talk about our events. 3/4

@pathwaysnl, @ENDCLERGYABUSE, @iadcpug

#Safeguarding #NewfoundlandAndLabrador 🇨🇦

[Gemma M. Hickey 🇨🇦🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @justbegemma]

Thank you @iadcpug and @hans_zollner for this recognition. The horrific abuse of children and vulnerable individuals by priests, nuns, and brothers in #NewfoundlandAndLabrador reverberated globally when the brave survivors of #MountCashel came forward over 4 decades ago. The Hughes Inquiry and Winter Commission findings remain foundational and relevant today. Education and collaboration are essential to preventing abuse, and we look forward to continuing this crucial work together.

@pathwaysnl, @ENDCLERGYABUSE, @Pontifex

#Safeguarding #GroundZero 🇨🇦

[Institute of Anthropology (IADC) @iadcpug]

Father @hans_zollner reflects on his recent trip to Canada, where he had the opportunity to meet with survivors and safeguarders. The country - particularly Newfoundland - is the “ground zero” of news about sexual and physical abuse in the Catholic Church.

[Gemma M. Hickey 🇨🇦🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @justbegemma]

The work that Hans and his team do @iadcpug inspired me. I’m grateful for the support that brought this course to life, especially Drs. Patricia Dold, Michelle Rebidoux, and Barry Stevenson @memorialhss. Dr. Rebidoux has been exceptional in guiding students through the material. Great work all!

Hans also met with faculty from @MemorialU’s Dept. of Religion & Culture and Queen’s Theological College to explore future collaboration. Education is essential to naming, confronting, and preventing clergy abuse. Photos included. 3/3

@pathwaysnl @ENDCLERGYABUSE

#Safeguarding #GroundZero #MountCashel #Belvedere #EducationMatters #NewfoundlandAndLabrador 🇨🇦

[Gemma M. Hickey 🇨🇦🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @justbegemma]

@hans_zollner getting ready to guest lecture in the new university course co-created by Dr. Michelle Rebidoux and I on the sex abuse crisis in the Church. Obviously a few of his articles made it to the syllabi. 👌

Launched this semester and offered at Queen’s Theological College (3656Q/3556Q) and @MemorialU (RELS 3660), the course is a first for a Canadian university. So proud! 1/3

[Gemma M. Hickey 🇨🇦🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @justbegemma]

The idea for the course came after Hans invited me to guest lecture at the Pontifical Gregorian University’s @iadcpug. What my province endured, and the findings of the Winter Commission and Hughes Inquiry,
warrant academic engagement at both local and global levels.

As a clergy abuse survivor with a background in Religious Studies and graduate research in Gender Studies on institutional religious abuse, this work is deeply personal. 2/3

[Gemma M. Hickey 🇨🇦🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @justbegemma]

@hans_zollner and I had a great time hanging out at St. Bonaventure’s College in St. John’s with Grades 10–12 students and their teachers. Next level engagement. Way to rock it, gang! 🤘

When young people have access to knowledge and open conversation, they gain the tools to transform difficult histories into stronger, safer foundations for the future. Empowering youth is how we plant the seeds of lasting change. 🌱

@pathwaysnl, @ENDCLERGYABUSE, @Pontifex

#Safeguarding #GroundZero #YouthEmpowerment
#NewfoundlandAndLabrador 🇨🇦

[Gemma M. Hickey 🇨🇦🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @justbegemma]

@gardnerstuart39 I completely understand that. Everyone has their own time and way of deciding if or when they share their experience.

[Gemma M. Hickey 🇨🇦🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @justbegemma]

I absolutely do. As someone who is both a survivor and one of the organizers of these events, I know that not everyone is able to participate in spaces like this. That’s understandable. For some, attending is helpful. For others, just knowing that these things are happening can matter in its own way.

[Gemma M. Hickey 🇨🇦🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @justbegemma]

Moving forward will require the steady work of rebuilding trust, one honest act at a time, and the choice to stay at the table together. I know what it feels like to be left out. My table will not be set for a few. It’s wide enough for disagreement, repair, and return. All are welcome wherever I am.

With gratitude to the faculty at Queen’s Theological College, to my friends pictured: Dr. Patricia Dold, Dr. Michelle Rebidoux, and @hans_zollner; to everyone who attended and participated in this service. Your presence counts. Let’s keep showing up for one another! 4/4

@pathwaysnl, @ENDCLERGYABUSE, @Pontifex

#Safeguarding #GroundZero #MountCashel #Belvedere #SurvivorVoices #ClergyAccountability #Community #Partnerships #Hope ❤️‍🩹

[Gemma M. Hickey 🇨🇦🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @justbegemma]

We held a poignant ecumenical reflection service in St. John’s at the chapel of Queen’s Theological College for survivors of religious institutional abuse. Clergy from multiple denominations participated in solidarity without vestments. A counsellor was present for support. I shared a reflective poem on Psalm 9:9–10 and my friend @hans_zollner offered a powerful homily on the same verse. 1/4

[Gemma M. Hickey 🇨🇦🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @justbegemma]

We wrote intentions for the future and lit candles for survivors we have lost, especially those whose lives were tragically cut short. Seeing Will Hiscock, a lawyer for survivors, and Archbishop Hundt light a candle together was the salve my heart didn’t know it needed. I am so proud of us!

#NewfoundlandAndLabrador continues to live with the consequences of clergy sexual abuse, including the ongoing bankruptcy process. I’m pictured here with Will and Bob Buckingham, another lawyer for survivors in St. John’s, at the reception following the service. 3/4