Paris: In order to protect worshippers from clergy sexual abuse, the French Catholic Church will require all of its bishops, priests, and deacons to carry ID cards with QR codes.

On Wednesday, the Bishops' Conference of France (CEF) unveiled a new system intended to supplement paper documents.

The person will see color-coded details about the clergyman after scanning the QR code. Green will indicate that the priest is free to conduct mass, listen to confessions, and administer other sacraments. Orange will show that the priest's abilities are constrained because of penalties or a lack of relevant experience.

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People who have had their clerical status revoked for any reason will appear in the database under the colour red. Once a year, or immediately in cases of serious misconduct, the database will be updated.

According to CEF spokesman Alexandre Joly, "it seemed essential to see what we could change... to make the Church safer.

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The ID cards will also help monitor the priests' activities when they conduct services outside of their dioceses, accompany worshippers on pilgrimages, and serve as mentors for teams of young people, according to CEF Deputy General Secretary Ambroise Laurent.

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In recent decades, cases of sexual abuse of minors have rocked the Catholic Church in France and other nations. According to the independent inquiry commission established by the CEF in 2021, there have been between 2,900 and 3,200 offenders within the ranks of the church in France since 1950