By Joshua McElwee

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) -Pope Leo on Saturday appointed a French archbishop as the new leader of the Vatican's commission on clergy sexual abuse, in the U.S. pontiff's first public move to confront an issue that has damaged the global Church's credibility.

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 scandals have damaged the Church's standing as a moral voice, led to lawsuits costing millions in countries across the globe, and resulted in a number of resignations of bishops.

Verny said he was committed to improving 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.

Verny replaces Cardinal Sean O'Malley, the former archbishop of Boston. O'Malley, 81, had been serving beyond the Church's traditional retirement age of 80 for bishops.

O'Malley had led the group since its creation.

While some victims have praised the commission's efforts, it has also been roiled by the resignations of several of its members over the years.

In 2023, a prominent Jesuit priest and papal adviser stepped down, saying publicly that he had concerns over the way the group was operating.

Verny was first made a member of the commission by Francis in 2022. He has also led the French Church's safeguarding efforts.

O'Malley praised the appointment, saying in a statement Verny is "a collaborative leader committed to advancing the global adoption of protection and safeguarding, to as best possible assure the safety of those in the care of the Church throughout the world".

(Reporting by Joshua McElwee; Editing by Alison Williams)