Overview
- Bishop Thibault Verny became president of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors on July 5, replacing Cardinal Sean O’Malley.
- The commission, founded by Pope Francis in 2014, rebounded from early setbacks to advise the church on best practices for combating abuse.
- Verny, a member since 2022 and head of the French bishops’ child protection council, has overseen annual audits of victim reception centers after a 2021 report exposed 330,000 abuse cases in France.
- In his first statement, Verny pledged to ensure all regions of the church share resources equitably to uphold the highest safeguarding standards.
- Cardinal O’Malley praised the appointment as a continuation of focus on accountability and commended Pope Leo XIV for prioritizing the commission.