The Catholic Church in France Now Requires its Clergy to Carry an Identity Card to Prevent Abuse. The Catholic Bishops of France issued the following Questions and Answers about the Card, Celebret, to be used by Bishops, Priests, Religious, and Deacons:
WHAT IS A CELEBRET? The celebret is a document issued by the ecclesiastical authority which certifies that its holder is a priest, that he can celebrate mass and that he has the ability to confess. Valid for 1 year, it is the equivalent of the press card for journalists or the professional identity card for lawyers.
BY WHOM IS IT ISSUED? It is issued by the ecclesiastical authority (the bishop for diocesan priests, and the major superior for religious priests). IN WHAT FORM DOES IT CURRENTLY EXIST? Official and administrative document for the Church, the celebret is always delivered in paper format. Its form varies according to the dioceses and the countries. It may look like a voter's card or a large business card. It always bears the seal of the diocese issuing it.
Quand le déploiement des cartes sera-t-il effectif ?
— Église catholique en France (@Eglisecatho) May 10, 2023
• évêques✅
• prêtres et diacres permanents : travail de collecte des données en cours. Chaque diocèse ou congrégation religieuse est chargé de leur remettre. Cette phase se poursuit jusqu’à la rentrée prochaine. pic.twitter.com/fhhEWG5ZgO
WHEN CAN YOU ASK A PRIEST FOR YOUR CELEBRET? The celebret can be requested during a trip outside the diocese, in France or abroad, in sanctuaries or in parishes, or on major events such as World Youth Days (WYD), to provide proof that a priest is well qualified to give the sacraments, and is subject to no restriction impeding his sacramental faculties. "The bishops of France decide for all priests (secular and religious) the establishment of a national model of celebret updated regularly, with indication of the faculty of confession."
Les évêques français ont d'ailleurs reçu leur nouvelle carte d'identification et de #celebret en mars 2023. pic.twitter.com/jJqbVIuTXK
— Église catholique en France (@Eglisecatho) May 10, 2023
REMINDER OF MEASURE 2.3 WHO DECIDED ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A NATIONAL CELEBRET? In November 2021, one month after the submission of the CIASE report, the bishops gathered in Plenary Assembly in Lourdes voted on a set of measures to continue and intensify the fight against sexual violence in the Church. Among them, measure 2.3, establishing the establishment of a national celebret model, updated regularly, for all priests, secular or religious. Tomorrow: a national model common to all the dioceses
WHY CREATE A NATIONAL MODEL? Decided by the bishops gathered in Plenary Assembly in November 2021, the creation of a national model aims to standardize the document between the dioceses, but also to provide a means of updating authorizations and restrictions in real time. In addition, it also aims to prevent impostors (false priests or deacons) from continuing to act to the detriment of the faithful and the sacraments, by creating false celebret. a photo ID incardination information the first name, surname, date and place of birth of the priest information concerning his ordination.
WHO WILL THIS NATIONAL MODEL AFFECT? This national model will concern all priests, religious and diocesan, incardinated or carrying out their mission in France, as well as permanent deacons.
WHAT FORM WILL THE IDENTIFICATION AND CELEBRET CARD TAKE? Concretely, it will be a personal identification card, of a format identical to the new identity cards, which will give access to the celebret via a QR code to flash with his smartphone. This card will not have a validity limit, except in the event of a change of place of incardination. The following information will appear on this card: It will also include a unique personal identifier (ID), and a QR code. 5 By flashing the QR code with a smartphone By connecting to the celebret.cef.fr site and indicating their name and ID number and entering their confidential code.
HOW WILL THE DEVICE WORK? This card, called the identification and celebret card, is intended to replace the Celebret in France and abroad (in the event of travel abroad by French priests). Concretely, thanks to the QR code, it will give access to the secure national directory of clerics incardinated or affected in France, which will contain all the information of clerics on French territory. It will allow to consult the personal information of the cleric in two ways:
HOW TO CHECK THE AUTHORIZATIONS AND RESTRICTIONS OF A PRIEST/DEACON? By flashing the QR code, with a smartphone or tablet, an indicator will indicate whether or not the cleric has specific restrictions on the exercise of his ministry, but without specifying the nature, in order to respect the confidentiality of this personal data. To display the details of the specific rights and authorizations available to him, you must also enter the clerk's 4-digit confidential code. 6 Information appearing on the card: Surname, First name Date and place of birth Date and diocese of ordination QR code Personal number Information accessible by reading the QR Code: Contact details and current functions Celebret: Specific authorizations and restrictions for exercise of the ministry Information concerning the authorizations and possible restrictions, accessible by confidential code held by the cleric, namely: celebrating the Eucharist in public preaching baptizing confessing By flashing the QR code, with a smartphone or tablet, an indicator will indicate whether or not the cleric has specific restrictions on the exercise of his ministry, but without specifying the nature, in order to respect the confidentiality of this personal data. To display the details of the specific rights and authorizations available to him, you must also enter the clerk's 4-digit confidential code. 6 Information appearing on the card: Surname, First name Date and place of birth Date and diocese of ordination QR code Personal number Information accessible by reading the QR Code: Contact details and current functions Celebret: Specific authorizations and restrictions for exercise of the ministry Information concerning the authorizations and any restrictions, accessible by confidential code held by the cleric, namely: celebrating the Eucharist in public preaching baptizing confessing / having one-to-one pastoral talks (with mention of the restricted public in the case appropriate (men/women/boys/girls/outside congregationsinstitutes) preparing and celebrating weddings preparing and celebrating the anointing of the sick celebrating funerals supervising groups of young people alone being alone with a minor even in a visible space participating in broadcasts retransmitted by radio, television or internet a free text zone for specific cases not provided for above
WHAT INFORMATION WILL THE IDENTIFICATION AND CELEBRITY CARD GIVE SUCH ACCESS? Three levels of information will be accessible via the national celebret map: 1. 2. 3.
WHO WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR UPDATING THE INFORMATION? The information will be updated by the dioceses, via bishops and chancellors for diocesan priests, and by major superiors for religious priests.
WHEN WILL THE ROLLOUT FOR ALL PRIESTS BE EFFECTIVE? The bishops received their national celebret card during the last Plenary Assembly in March 2023. Concerning them, the collection of data intended to inform the secure national directory to which the device is connected, has ended. This new system is therefore already operational for the bishops. Concerning the 13,000 French priests, secular and regular, and the 3,000 permanent deacons, data collection work is underway, in conjunction with CORREF. Once the collection and entry of information is complete, identification cards are issued and then, after recording any restrictions, each diocese or religious congregation hands them over to priests and deacons. This phase, which has already begun, will probably continue until the start of the next school year.
WILL A PAPER VERSION STILL BE AVAILABLE? Once connected to the celebret via the QR code or the identification on celebret.cef.fr, it will be possible to print the celebret in PDF format, especially for areas without network coverage. CATHOLIC CHURCH Diocese of born on ordained priest on in the diocese of ID: 123456 celebret.cef.fr in In case of restrictions, the detail of the celebret, with the authorizations and restrictions, can be displayed thanks to a confidential code, sent to the priest Cardholder. CELEBRET CELEBRET EX PARTE 7 USE OF THE IDENTIFICATION CARD AND CELEBRET When traveling outside the diocesan territory, or during special events, the priest may be asked to present his celebret. existence of restrictions no restriction 1. QUICK CHECK 2. ACCESS TO THE DETAILS OF THE CELEBRET By scanning the QR code of the identification card and of the celebret, a quick overview is displayed - celebret.cef.fr
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