In his first major move addressing the Catholic Church’s sexual abuse crisis, Pope Leo appointed French Archbishop Thibault Verny as president of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors on Saturday.
The 59-year-old archbishop of Chambéry will now helm the Vatican body created in 2014 by Pope Francis to reform the Church’s approach to clergy abuse scandals that have cost millions in lawsuits and damaged Catholicism’s moral authority worldwide.
Verny, who joined the commission in 2022 and previously oversaw France’s national safeguarding efforts, pledged to ensure “equitable sharing of resources” so all dioceses can meet highest protection standards. He succeeds Cardinal Sean O’Malley, the 81-year-old Boston archbishop who led the group since its inception despite exceeding the clerical retirement age.
The appointment comes as the commission seeks to regain momentum after recent turbulence, including the 2023 resignation of a prominent Jesuit adviser who criticized its operations. O’Malley endorsed Verny as “a collaborative leader” committed to globalizing abuse prevention measures.
A Legacy of Scandal and Reform Challenges
While the commission has made progress in developing safeguarding protocols, its work remains contentious. High-profile resignations and persistent abuse revelations—from Germany to Australia—continue to test the Vatican’s credibility.
Verny now faces the dual challenge of implementing consistent standards across 1.3 billion-member Catholic Church while addressing victims’ demands for transparency and accountability.
