Dominique Marie Jean Rey (born 21 September 1952) is a French prelate of the Catholic Church who was the Bishop of Fréjus-Toulon from 2000 to 2025. He is a member of the Emmanuel Community, and he is considered one of the more conservative French bishops.[1] He also frequently celebrates Tridentine Mass.[2] He has been criticized for ordaining priests who have failed to qualify for the priesthood in their home countries, failing to supervise religious communities he has established, and for inadequate action against sex abusers in his diocese.[3]
On 16 May 2000, Pope John Paul II appointed him Bishop of Fréjus-Toulon.[4] He received his episcopal consecration on 17 September 2000 from Cardinal Jean-Marie Lustiger.
In August 2015, breaking with the policy of the Conference of French Bishops, he invited Marion Maréchal-Le Pen a prominent National Front member of the French parliament, to participate on a panel of politicians in his diocese.[1][10] Rey defended the invitation: "The FN is a party like any other on the political chessboard. You have to be realistic, don't cover your eyes and ears!"[11]
An apostolic visitation of the diocese, ordered by the Dicastery for Bishops was announced on 7 February 2023,[13][c] and the investigators arrived on 13 February: Antoine Hérouard,[d] Archbishop of Dijon, assisted by Joël Mercier, secretary of the Dicastery for the Clergy, and a Curial official since 2002.[15] The visitation concluded on 10 March after conducting 110 interviews and reviewing 600 written submissions. Its report expressed particular concern about how communities with questionable pasts were welcomed and about the conduct of missions to convert Muslims.[16]
On 21 November 2023, Pope Francis named Bishop François Touvet to serve as coadjutor bishop of Fréjus-Toulon and assigned him much of the authority Rey would normally have continued to exercise even when assisted by a coadjutor: "the special powers of the diocesan government in the areas of administration, management of the clergy, training of seminarians and priests, support of institutes of consecrated life, societies of apostolic life, and associations of the faithful".[17][18][19][e] Rey welcomed him and said he was delighted Pope Francis had accepted his proposal that a coadjutor be appointed.[21][22] Rey had a private audience with Pope Francis on 22 December.[23]
^The monk Rey tasked with managing the conference described its overarching theme: "We hope to give further impetus to the “new liturgical movement,” something that has spread throughout the Church in recent years and which encompasses a desire to implement the liturgical reforms called for by the Second Vatican Council more faithfully as well as an openness to the riches of the pre-conciliar liturgy. Both of these have much to give in sustaining our Christian life and mission today, and both have their rightful place in the life of the Church. At the conference we will celebrate solemn Mass and Vespers in both forms."[8]
^Hérouard was secretary of the French Bishops Conference, then rector of the French seminary in Rome from 2014 to 2017. He had been auxiliary bishop of Lille from 2017 to 2022, when he became archbishop of Dijon.
^Upon Touvet's arrival, the Vatican authorized ordinations, which had been suspended, to proceed once more.[20]
^Sauvaget, Bernadette (13 February 2023). "L'évêque Dominique Rey sur un siège éjectable dans le diocèse du Var?". Libération (in French). Retrieved 31 December 2023. Rey ... est adulé par la droite religieuse,... un supporteur de la Manif pour tous, des camps «virilistes» Optimum ou encore des sessions Courage, proches des thérapies de conversion.
