Catholic priests are facing the prospect of wearing QR codes to allow members of the public to check if they are a s3x offender or not.
In an idea ruled as one of the “top three stupid ideas” of all time by a former abuse survivors group leader, the Catholic Church’s scan and go plan has been ridiculed.
French priests would be required to wear QR codes should the idea receive a green light, and if barcode scanners receive a green light, it means their priest is not a s3x offender.
Orange and red lights are also available for those scanning the potential ID cards, an idea stemming from a s3xual abuse clampdown.
ID cards would allegedly show if their priest is a safe pair of hands, while a red colour code would show they may have faced s3xual abuse charges.
It would also serve as a way of verifying the priest behind the pulpit is able and qualified to lead mass as well as hear confession, UNILad reported.
The codes will also be used to show whether or not a priest has been stripped of their clerical status, with the public capable of finding out if their holy local is a possible s3x offender.
An orange light would mean the priest has been ordained recently and is not yet fully qualified to lead mass, while green means they are fully authorised.
But François Devaux, the former leader of La Parole Libérée (The Liberated Word), ridiculed the idea, saying: “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.”
A statement from the Catholic Church confirmed the potential implementation of a QR code system, expressing an interest in a less cumbersome way of monitoring priests.
It is also set to help the Church crack down on imposter priests and “intensify the fight against s3xual violence in the Church”.
Article updated 1 week ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
