| |
Archdiocesan parishes, offices
and schools are increasingly creating web pages to foster and publicize
their ministries. This technology may be of assistance and several
of you have mentioned to me that you are pleased with your web pages.
I anticipate the number of parish/office/school web pages will continue
to increase. Because of this, I would like to bring to your attention
three concerns of which you should be aware.
 |
Possibly companies will offer to provide a web page free of charge
in return for permission authorizing sale of advertisements on
parish/office/school web pages. Please know this is not allowed.
No parish, office or school may permit advertisements of any
nature to appear on the web pages. If you wish further
information concerning this policy, please contact Mr. Leon Mathes,
Archdiocesan Chief Administrative Officer.
|
|
Some parishes are publicizing the parish bulletins on their
web page. Some people are agreeable to their names and pictures
appearing in the church bulletin since the distribution of it
is limited, for example, only given to those actually in church.
However, some people object to their name or pictures appearing
on a web page and, therefore, on the internet. Some pastors
have considered publishing the list of lectors or extraordinary
ministers of the Eucharist on the parish web page along with the
individual's phone number in order that liturgical ministers may
more easily contact each other in the event of the need for a
substitute. Other pastors have considered publishing the
parish directory with the names, addresses and phone numbers of
parishioners. Please be aware that some people object to
their phone numbers and/or addresses appearing on web pages.
|
Therefore, it is strongly recommended that no phone numbers or addresses
appear on web pages. In addition, if the parish bulletin will appear
on the parish web page, the following paragraph should be published
in the bulletin for several weeks prior to
the time that the bulletin is published on the internet.
Beginning on ________, 2001, the parish bulletin will also be
published on the parish web site on the internet. Everyone
who belongs to the parish whose name or picture may be published
in the parish bulletin, or anyone who may belong to another parish
but whose name or picture may be published in (name of the parish)
bulletin, should be aware that their name may be published on the
internet as part of the parish bulletin.
IF ANY PERSON DOES NOT WANT HIS OR HER NAME OR PICTURE IN THE
BULLETIN ON THE INTERNET, PLEASE NOTIFY THE PARISH OFFICE IMMEDIATELY
IN WRITING.
Offices
and schools should also be mindful of this concern and be certain that
names and pictures are not used if their use would be against the will
of the person involved.
|
Some schools and parishes also publish on their web page the
names and pictures of minors. It is recommended that this
be done only with the written consent of the parents or guardians.
The following release form should be used:
|
|
I/we, _________________,
the undersigned parent(s) of ________________, a student at
__________________ School, hereby grant permission to ______________
School/Parish and/or the Archdiocese of New Orleans to publish
and/or print my/our child's name and/or likeness on the ________________
School/Parish web site on the internet and/or world wide web.
I/we hereby further
release, indemnify and hold harmless _______________ School/Parish,
the Roman Catholic Church of the Archdiocese of New Orleans,
their directors, officers, agents, pastor(s), employees and
insurers from any and all claims and/or damages on behalf of
myself/ourselves and/or our child arising from the publication
of my/our child's names, photograph, or likeness on videotape
and/or film on _______ School's/Parish's web site on the internet
or the world wide web.
This agreement shall remain in force and
effect at all times during my/our child's enrollment at ______________
School.
|
|
| Father (Print Name) |
Date |
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
| Mother (Print Name) |
Date |
|
The use of the web sites is new in our culture. Very little
legislation has been enacted nor have there been court decisions which
would clarify the way in which parishes/offices/schools should approach
the publication of information on web sites. Therefore, caution should
be exercised in this matter. I hope the above information will
be of assistance to you.
If your parish, school or office has a website, please contact Mr.
Mathes (861-6252) so that it may be linked to the archdiocesan web page.
The web page is designed so that links can be provided to all other
web pages of the archdiocese.
May God bless you in your ministry
to the people of our archdiocese.
|
