Pope Francis has finally made a concrete move in the fight against sexual abuse in the Roman Catholic Church. He appointed French Archbishop Thibault Verny as the new head of the Vatican’s commission for the protection of minors. The commission was established in 2014 in response to a series of sexual abuse scandals that shook the Church worldwide, severely damaging its reputation and leading to the resignations of many bishops.
Thibault Verny, 59, will take over from Cardinal Sean O’Malley, the former Archbishop of Boston, who served until the age of 81. Verny has pledged to dedicate himself to improving protection measures within the Church and ensuring a fairer distribution of resources so that all parts of the Church, regardless of location, can uphold the highest standards of protection.
This move comes after sexual abuse scandals seriously undermined the Church’s credibility as a moral authority. While many expected faster and more decisive action, Verny’s appointment is the first public sign that the Vatican is confronting the problem. Whether this will be enough to stop the wave of scandals and restore believers’ trust remains to be seen.
The Church continues to face numerous lawsuits and criticism, with millions of euros already paid out in compensation to victims. Verny has promised to advocate for the highest protection standards and fair resource allocation, but the question remains whether this will be sufficient to halt the moral crisis.
If you have thoughts on the Pope’s move or think the Church is too late to react, feel free to drop a comment. Maybe it’s time we all ask ourselves — how deep is this wound, and can it even be healed without drastic changes?
