More Control: French Bishops Introduce ID Cards For Priests

French bishops have invented an identity card for clerics, with a scannable QR code, linked to a national database to prove that a priest is in good standing and can preside the Eucharist and hear confessions (Eglise.Catholique.fr, May 5).

The new document is an enhanced “celebret” and is only valid for one year. The bishops compare the card to "press cards for journalists" or "identity cards for lawyers."

The card uses a traffic light system, with green for a clean record, yellow for restrictions and red if a priest is suspended or worse.

Troyes Bishop Alexandre Joly said on May 10 that the yellow colour doesn't necessarily refer to abuse, as in the case of a newly ordained priest who may not yet have received the faculty to hear confessions, a sacrament that has virtually disappeared since Vatican II.

Picture: CEF, #newsJynvmbzohy

2LikeShare

Sally Dorman shares this

1 142May 19, 2023

French bishops to issue digital IDs to prove priests’ identities, validity to celebrate sacraments - The objective is to help protect the Catholic faithful from fake priests and religious predators.

Dr Bobus

May 19, 2023edited

So they will have a Praesidiat instead of a Celebret*
* Shout out to Fr Reto.More

So they will have a Praesidiat instead of a Celebret*

* Shout out to Fr Reto.

English Catholic

May 19, 2023edited

This plainly shows discrimination against priests, and I wonder if it came from the bishops, or if the bishops were forced to do it by the state. I’m sure it could be challenged under discrimination laws. What about Imams / Rabbis / teachers / police / doctors - the list is endless. But in any case – if a priest is a proven sex offender, wouldn’t they have been laicised anyway, so no longer able to minister as a priest? So no necessity for a card. It would be akin to asking a dead priest to carry around his death certificate. Lunacy. It's also a trap to hamper 'cancelled' traditionalist priests.

Credo .

May 19, 2023

Mmmm!