Conférence des évêques de France

The Conférence des évêques de France (CEF) is the official assembly of Catholic bishops in France. It serves as a permanent structure for consultation and collaboration among the bishops, addressing issues related to the Catholic Church and its role in French society. The CEF is currently newsworthy due to two main issues. First, there's a significant increase in adult baptisms. According to the CEF, over 13,000 adults will be baptized this Easter, a number that has tripled in the last decade, although still lower than in the early 2000s. Second, the CEF's new system for supporting victims of sexual abuse within the Church is facing criticism. Victims' collectives are expressing outrage, viewing the new arrangement as a step backward, suggesting a return of responsibility to the bishops themselves, which the collectives see as problematic. These developments highlight the CEF's ongoing challenges in addressing both spiritual growth and past misconduct.