French Priests to Carry ID Cards to Show Whether They Are Sex Offenders

Priests in France will be required to carry QR codes that the public can scan in order to check if they have been struck off as part of a sexual abuse clampdown.

The new wallet-sized ID cards will, after being scanned by a mobile phone, bring up a green, orange or red light depending on the priest’s status and career history.

The new system announced at the French Bishops’ Conference is designed to make the church more transparent but has been criticised as frivolous by some sex abuse survivor groups.

The ID card’s main function is to show whether a priest is qualified to lead Mass or hear confession, but the code also discloses whether the priest has been stripped of clerical status.

The card does not explicitly state why a priest has been stripped of that status, but the red colour code would serve as an early warning signal that they may have faced sexual abuse charges.

This means the cards can apparently be used by Catholics to find out whether bishops, deacons and priests in their area are possible sex offenders, broadcaster France 24 reported.

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Quentin said:

I had a workmate once who was talking to me about the problem of homosexuality and child sex abuse in the clergy of the RCC. I told him that the Bible foretold it and even told us why it would happen. He said he didn't believe it and I shared with him a couple of scriptures from the KJV that actually he was speechless because he didn't know they were in the Bible.

Firstly the Bible says that the overseer of the congregation is to be the husband of one wife. The KJV translates the word overseer as bishop:

"A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife."-1 Timothy 3:2.

And then showed him the teaching to abstain from marriage would develop in "later times" by demonic inspiration (the same letter to Timothy the next chapter):

"The inspired word clearly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to misleading inspired statements and teachings of demons...They forbid marriage."-1 Timothy 4:1, 3.

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You realize you are in the Catholic forum?

Quentin said:

No. I haven't figured that much out yet. Thank you for letting me know.

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No problem. You are very welcome to fellowship here if you’d like.