European data rules may allow erasure of baptismal records, EU court adviser says

An adviser to the Court of Justice of the European Union stated Thursday that European data protection rules may require the Catholic Church to erase personal information from baptismal records if an individual requests it.

Laila Medina, the advocate general at the court, issued a non-binding opinion on Oct. 1 regarding a case brought by the Brussels Court of Appeal. The court is seeking clarification on whether the Diocese of Ghent violated the General Data Protection Regulation by refusing to remove names from baptismal registers upon request. Medina stated that the data processing used for these records must comply with European data rules.

The Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Union argued in September that these registers are historical records rather than simple membership lists. The bishops stated that erasing such data would infringe on the substance of the sacrament and hinder Church operations. Pope Leo XIV also expressed that he considers the matter very important during a meeting with European bishops in May 2025.