The head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV, has taken his first public step in the fight against sexual abuse in the Church, appointing French Archbishop Thibaut Verny as the new head of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors.

Verny, 59, will take over the presidency of the commission, which was created in 2014 by Pope Francis in response to a series of sexual abuse scandals that have rocked the Church in several countries. Along with his new role, he will also retain his post as archbishop of Chambery in southeastern France.

Scandals in recent decades have seriously undermined the Catholic Church’s credibility as a moral authority, led to lawsuits worth millions of euros and prompted the resignations of numerous bishops.

“I am committed to strengthening the protection mechanisms within the Church,” Archbishop Verny said in an official statement. “We will work for a more equitable distribution of resources so that all parts of the Church – regardless of their geographical location or circumstances – can apply the highest standards of protection,” he said, quoted by RFE/RL.

Verni succeeds Cardinal Sean O’Malley, former Archbishop of Boston. Although he is over the usual retirement age for bishops (80 years old), O’Malley, 81, continued to serve until this appointment. | BGNES