KRAKóW (POLAND)
Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors (Tutela Minorum) [Vatican City]
October 1, 2025
From the Commission Members | MONS. THIBAULT VERNY
KRAKOW — The President of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors opened the Autumn Plenary Assembly in Krakow, Poland on Tuesday September 30, with a clarion call for church leaders to redouble their commitment to every aspect of safeguarding:
“The stakes are high for all of us: welcoming and listening to victims [and survivors] taking the truth into account, preventing abuse so that the Church becomes ever more a safe home” he said in a greeting following the end of the Opening Mass at the Shrine of Divine Mercy, celebrated by Mons. Marek Jędraszewski, the Archbishop of Krakow.
Verny described the gathering in Poland, the first outside Rome since the body’s establishment in 2014, as a concrete sign of the Commission’s commitment to walk alongside local churches and to strengthen a global culture of safeguarding.
Thanking the Archdiocese of Krakow for its welcome, he dwelt on the concept of mercy and the resonance of the religious site:
“This place is of great importance, and not only for the faithful of Poland. It is a place of devotion for people from all over the world. We come here today in the footsteps of thousands of men and women of faith, following the path shown to us by Saint John Paul II. We come here today to entrust the concerns of the Church and of humanity to the merciful Christ.” – Archbishop Thibault Verny
Explaining the Commission’s mission, he continued: “This service necessarily involves our ability to listen to the local Churches by being present with them, walking with them, encouraging them and supporting them. That is why the Commission is here in Krakow, and it is a concrete demonstration of our desire to be with you on this synodal journey of protection.”
Verny outlined three key priorities: He also noted the importance of the Memorare initiative, the Commission’s capacity building programme: “This Commission seeks to achieve this goal through the progressive implementation of universal safeguarding guidelines in each local Church. This requires practical support in terms of resources, which is provided by the initiative called ‘Memorare’.
In addition, all these efforts are measured, evaluated and made public in the Commission’s annual report, and I am happy to share with you that we will soon publish our second annual report.”
Verny concluded by invoking the words of Saint John Paul II, prayed in the same sanctuary: “Eternal God, in whom mercy is infinite and the treasure of compassion inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase your mercy in us, so that in difficult times we may not despair or lose heart, but submit ourselves with great confidence to your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself. Amen.”
The Plenary Assembly runs from 29 September to 3 October. During the week, members of the Commission will also meet with the Polish bishops.