The first step in addressing clergy abuse is taken by Pope Leo.

 

Pope Leo XIV looks on during a meeting promoted by the Dicastery for the Clergy in Rome, Italy, June 26, 2025.  REUTERS/Remo Casilli/File Photo

 Pope Leo on Saturday appointed a French archbishop as the new leader of the Vatican's commission on clergy sexual abuse, in the U.S. pontiff's first public move to confront an issue that has damaged the global Church's credibility.

 Thibault Verny, 59, will be president of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors while also remaining the archbishop of Chambery in southeast France.

 The Vatican commission was created by Pope Francis in 2014 in an effort by the late pontiff to respond after sexual abuse scandals affected the Church in countries across the world.

 The scandals have damaged the Church's standing as a moral voice, led to lawsuits costing millions in countries across the globe, and resulted in a number of resignations of bishops.

 Verny said he was committed to improving the Church's safeguarding measures.

 "We will promote the ... equitable sharing of resources so that all parts of the Church, regardless of geography or circumstance, can uphold the highest standards of protection," he said in a statement.

 Verny replaces Cardinal Sean O'Malley, the former archbishop of Boston.  O'Malley, 81, had been serving well past the traditional retirement age for bishops, which is 80. O'Malley had led the group since its creation.

 While some victims have praised the commission's efforts, it has also been roiled by the resignations of several of its members over the years.

 A prominent Jesuit priest and papal adviser resigned in 2023, declaring openly that he was concerned about the organization's operations. In 2022, Francis made Verny the first member of the commission. He has also led the French Church's safeguarding efforts.

 O'Malley praised the appointment, saying in a statement Verny is "a collaborative leader committed to advancing the global adoption of protection and safeguarding, to as best as possible assure the safety of those in the care of the Church throughout the world".