He Pope Leo XIV He appointed this Saturday, July 5, the Archbishop of Chambéry, Thibult Verny, president of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, dedicated to the fight against abuses within the Church, the Holy See reported.
“I feel honored for the trust he has deposited in me, fully aware of the serious and sacred task entrusted to the commission: to help the Church to be increasingly vigilant, responsible and compassionate in his mission of protecting the most vulnerable among us,” Verny wrote after his appointment in a note.
The French archbishop was part of the commission created by Pope Francis in 2013, under the presidency of the American cardinal Sean O’Malley, to whom he dedicated a few words of recognition.
“In times of deep difficulty, Cardinal O’Malley has been a moral compass for the faithful and for people of good will throughout the world. He has firmly defended the primacy of listening to the voices of the survivors of abuse, giving them space to be heard, believed and accompanied in their search for truth, justice, healing and a significant institutional reform,” he said.
On the road map of his presidency, the French cardinal explained that his priorities are “supporting the churches”, especially “to those who still fight to implement adequate guardianship measures.”
“We will promote the subsidiarity and equitable distribution of resources so that all parts of the Church, regardless of their geographical location or circumstances, can maintain the highest standards of safeguarding,” he added.
For his part, O’Malley said that “it is a blessing for all that Pope León has entrusted the leadership of the commission to an archbishop who is a collaborative leader, committed to the progress of the global adoption of protection and safeguard measures, to ensure in the best possible extent the safety of those who are in the care of the church worldwide.”
The American cardinal stressed that Verny “has been in the front line in the search for healing and reconciliation with the victims” and their work with the forces of the order and the civil authorities to guarantee “accountability before the serious failures of the Church in France.”
“The words and actions of the Holy Father in these first months of its pontificate assure the world that the Church will not become complicating in their efforts to guarantee, to the greatest extent possible, the protection of children, vulnerable adults and all people in our communities,” O’Malley added.