Priests set to receive QR codes to show they're not sex offenders

The French Catholic church will soon provide priests with QR codes that reveal whether they are sex offenders.

While the idea of ID cards isn't a new concept, the new addition will allow people to scan their wallet-size cards using their phones. It will then show a traffic light system, either displaying a green, orange or red light.

The intention is to show whether a priest is qualified to lead mass or hear confession. However, a red light status tells people that the person can no longer preach or practice. It could signify they have faced sexual abuse charges, according to France 24.

An orange light could imply some restrictions. For example, a priest who has only recently been ordained.

A green light means they can lead mass.

"Today’s updated digital version is more modern and has a new feature that allows someone to check whether the priest has been suspended. It’s a good idea given the current context, and should prove quite useful," Christine Pedotti of Témoignage Chrétien (Christian Witness) wrote.

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Former president of the Church abuse survivors group La Parole Libérée (The Liberated Word), François Devaux said: "It’s quite an exceptional measure which, in my opinion, is one of the Catholic Church’s top three most stupid ideas."

"If we have to scan the QR codes of clergy members to reassure Catholics, it means the Church has hit a new low. It’s nothing more than a publicity stunt, and it shows the extent to which trust has been broken between the faithful and their hierarchy," he added.

Bishops have already received their ID cards, with a further 18,000 priests and deacons set to get theirs by the end of 2023.

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