As American Pope Leo XIV starts to work on the priorities of his papacy, it is somewhat reassuring that one of his first acts is to appoint the new head of the Vatican’s commission on clergy sexual abuse.
This is Leo’s first public move to confront an issue that continues to harm the Church’s work in the world.
Reuters reported:
“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 sexual abuse scandals have hurt ‘the Church’s standing as a moral voice’, and led to multiple lawsuits and several resignations of bishops.
French Archbishop Verny vowed to improve 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.”
Archbishop Thibault Verny has long been actively involved in the fight against abuse in the Church, working as President of the ‘Council for the Prevention and Fight against Pedophilia’ within the French Episcopal Conference.
He gave an interview to Vatican News:
“Archbishop Verny: Three words came to my mind and heart. First of all, the word ‘humility’ in the face of the importance and gravity of the mission and the challenges that come with it. Then the word “gratitude”, towards our Holy Father, Leo XIV, for the trust he has shown in me […] The third word is “determination” to continue and deepen this work.
[…] and through the ‘Memorare’ project, to support the Churches in welcoming and accompanying victims. The guidelines will be published shortly. They provide guidance for the accompaniment and protection of minors.
Another point that I think is important will be to be able to network the initiatives. Too often, individual countries work on their own. Instead, it is necessary to be able to support each other and share what is being done.”
Verny thinks that it is essential that victims and their parents and families are present in the Commission, bringing ‘their irreplaceable experience’.
The French archbishop wants to implement ‘a mindset, a culture, within the Churches to spread the protection of minors and ensure that it becomes natural, both in the Church and in families – and also in society’.
“The demand on the Church [is] with regard to its mission, its place in society, and the expectation of a truly exemplary Church, capable of caring for vulnerable people and in particular minors. There is this element of humility that the Church must have, the recognition of the truth in order to look to the future.”
“Trust is not achieved by decree. It is earned and built day by day. There is a temptation to want to talk about something else, to want to turn the page. However, the work of truth and accompaniment of victims must continue. The protection of minors remains and will always be a topical issue. This is the condition for the Gospel to be heard and believed.”
Archbishop Thibault Verny
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