Privacy Policy
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ROMAN CATHOLIC ARCHDIOCESE OF BOSTON PRIVACY POLICY
PRIVACY NOTICE
Roman Catholic Archbishop of Boston, a Corporation Sole
Last Updated: August 31, 2026
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston and Roman Catholic Archbishop of Boston, a Corporation Sole (“Archdiocese”, “we,” “our,” or “us”) collects and processes information that identifies you or can reasonably be linked to you. This Privacy Notice describes how we collect, use, disclose, and otherwise process personal information, and it applies to personal information we collect or process about you through our website (https://www.bostoncatholic.org/) and services. Our collection and processing of personal information is subject to applicable laws and regulations governing privacy and data protection (“Data Privacy Laws”).
We may update or modify this Notice at any time by posting the amended version to our website and including the effective date of the updated version. By using our services and providing us with your personal information, you agree to the terms of this Notice and our collection and use of information in accordance with this Notice. If you do not agree to be bound by this Notice, you should not access or use our services or disclose any personal information to us through our services.
How To Contact Us
If you want to exercise your rights applicable under Data Privacy Laws, update your preferences and information, or have any questions or concerns about this Notice or about the Archdiocese processing of personal information, please contact us as follows:
By mail:
Archdiocese of Boston
66 Brooks Drive
Braintree, MA 02184
Attn: Webmaster – BostonCatholic.org
By phone: (617) 254-0100
By email: [email protected]
Information We Collect
In the course of providing services and conducting our operations, we may collect and process the following categories of personal information.- Name and Contact Information. Information such as Current and previous first, middle, and last names; signature; residential and business addresses; phone numbers; and email address.
- Technological Information. Information such as: Internet Protocol (IP) address, Media Access Control (MAC) address, browser type, device type, operating system, session identifiers, browsing activity, use of our website and technology systems, and other technological information.
- Operations Information. Information we process to conduct our own operations, including: administration, accounting, finance, marketing, technology, cybersecurity, privacy, vendor and service provider management, human resources, records management, and facilities management.
- Donation and Supporter Information. Donation history, donation amounts, newsletter subscriptions, and participation in organizational initiatives, events, and outreach activities.
- Volunteer, Partner, and Professional Information. Contact details, name, and biographical information.
- Audio and Visual Information. Video recordings collected in connection with the services.
- Our website may include forms that are created and hosted using Google Forms. When you access a page containing an embedded Google Form or submit information through it, the information you provide (which may include your name, email address, and any other details you choose to enter) is collected and processed by Google on our behalf and transmitted to us. In addition, Google may collect technical information in connection with your use of the form, such as your IP address, device, browser information, and cookies or similar tracking technologies placed by Google. Google's collection and use of information is governed by its own privacy policy, available at https://policies.google.com/privacy. We do not control how Google processes information collected through its services, and we encourage you to review Google's privacy policy for more information.
We collect personal information from various sources, including:- Directly from you, when you visit our website: fill out a form on our website, apply for or inquire about our services, including making a prayer request, create or update an account, attend events, sign up for email or direct mail, or otherwise communicate or interact with us, including over a web form, the telephone, online chat, social media, or in person at events.
- From third parties. We may receive information from other entities affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church, including the Archdiocese of Boston, our vendors, service providers, contractors, and business partners that collect and/or store certain information from you on our behalf and at our direction. For example, we use the third-party payment services of Blackbaud (https://blackbaud.com/) for donations and Eventbrite (https://eventbrite.com) for Event Management. We do not have access to your full credit card number, PayPal, Venmo, Apple Pay, or Google Pay data stored by Stripe but may receive truncated credit card number or other identifying information from them. For more information on how payments are handled, and to understand the data security and privacy protections afforded to such information, please refer to relevant privacy policies published online by the third-party service providers.
- In addition to information that you choose to submit to us, we and/or our vendors and service providers may automatically collect and/or store personal information and related data when you visit or interact with our website, open or click on emails we send you, or interact with our advertisements through cookies, pixels, tracking technologies, and similar tracking or analytics technologies. Information we collect online may include but is not necessarily limited to: Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, URL address, device and/or browser settings, browser type, operating system, usage data, and tracking data collected through cookies.
Children’s
Archdiocese does not knowingly collect personal information from individuals under 13 years of age, and our services are not directed to minors. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a minor without valid authorization or verifiable parental consent, we will take steps to delete that personal information as soon as reasonably practicable. If you believe that a minor has provided us with personal information, please contact us so we can take appropriate action.
How We Use Information
We use the information we collect for legitimate business interests, including, but not limited to:- Administer Archdiocese’s services and website;
- Respond to inquiries and requests;
- Communicate about our services or opportunities;
- Monitor and improve website performance and security and user experience;
- For marketing and promotional purposes, including sending marketing communications;
- To promote security and integrity (for example, detecting security incidents, detecting and protecting against fraudulent and deceptive activity, and prosecuting those responsible)
- Seek advice on our legal rights and obligations and to identify, contact, or bring legal action against someone who may be causing injury to or interference with (either intentionally or unintentionally) our rights or property, other customers or business partners, visitors to Archdiocese, or anyone else who could be harmed by such activities;
- Comply with legal obligations.
Disclosure of Personal Information
We do not sell, rent, or trade personal information.
We may disclose personal information in the following circumstances:- Consent and Direction. Based on consent and direction given to us by those about whom the personal information pertains.
- Provide Services. As necessary or appropriate, to provide our services, including to send you service-related communications, deliver notifications, and respond to your inquiries and feedback.
- Parish Affiliates. To parish affiliates for purposes consistent with this Notice.
- The Catholic Church, including the Archdiocese of Boston. To church officials and affiliated individuals consistent with this Notice.
- Agents, Vendors, and Service Providers. To our employees, contractors, vendors, service providers, and other third parties that assist us with technology, hosting, processing, payment processing, IT hosting, website analytics, communications infrastructure, marketing, legal, accounting, compliance, and other business functions. These recipients are permitted to use personal information only as necessary to perform services on our behalf.
- Compliance, Safety, and Legal Process. To comply with applicable laws and regulations; to ensure safety; to establish, enforce, and exercise our rights and defend against claims; and to comply with a valid subpoena or other legal process or lawful request by governmental, regulatory, and law enforcement authorities.
- Donations, Outreach, and Marketing. To facilitate donations, supporter activity, newsletter subscriptions, marketing materials, initiative participation, and related communications and engagement activities.
Cookies and Tracking Technologies
Our website may use cookies or similar technologies to support basic functionality and analytics. These tools help us understand how visitors use the website so we can improve performance and content. information about your interaction with our website (such as content you view, features you access, search terms you use, and content in which you have indicated interest).
When you visit our website, we may place a cookie (a text file containing a randomly assigned number) or a similar technology on your device to customize the look and feel of the website.
Cookies remember information about you, your preferences, and your device for a better user experience. We may also use cookies to collect information about your use of the website, including your IP address, username, session, browser, web pages you view, referring and exit web pages, information about your interaction with our website (such as content you view, features you access, search terms you use, and content in which you have indicated interest), and general online behavior for performance and marketing purposes.
Archdiocese may use web beacons or pixels. Web beacons are a small tag (which may be invisible to you) that may be placed on our website’s pages and messages. We or third-party partners may use invisible pixels or beacons on our website to count how many users access or use certain pages, features, or content. This information is collected and reported in the aggregate. We may use this information to improve our current service offerings, develop new services, and target information to you that may be helpful and useful to you based upon your use of our services.
Archdiocese may use third-party analytics tracking technologies and tools to collect information about how you use our website, such as the frequency of visits, pages viewed, traffic data, location, referring and exit pages, and error information. These tools may collect device-specific data, including your IP address, operating system, browser type, and Internet connection details. These tools examine website activities to prepare usage reports, and this information helps us improve our website and enhance user experience. Tracking information will be shared with the third-party analytics provider, which may use that information for its own purposes, potentially including marketing or advertising. While such tracking information may not be sufficient on its own for Archdiocese to identify you, the third-party analytics provider may be able to combine it with other data to identify you.
Our website may include embedded content (such as videos, images, articles, and other media) hosted or served by third parties. For example, we use third-party video hosting services to display videos on our website, such as Vimeo or YouTube. These third-party websites and services may collect information about you, use cookies and similar tracking technologies, embed additional third-party tracking, and monitor your interaction with the embedded content, including tracking your interaction with the embedded content if you have an account and are logged in to that third party's website. We do not control the data collection or privacy practices of these third parties, and their processing of your information is governed by their own privacy policies. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party services whose content is embedded on our website.
If you would prefer not to accept cookies, you can change the setup of your browser to reject all or some cookies. Note, if you reject certain cookies, you may not be able to use all features of our website. For more information, please visit https://www.aboutcookies.org/.
Links to Other Sites
Our website may link to third-party platforms (such other social media sites). If you click on one of those links, you will be taken to websites we do not control. This Privacy Notice does not apply to the information practices of those third-party websites. You should read the privacy policies of third-party websites carefully. We are not responsible for the content, privacy policies, actions, or security of third-party websites.
Data Security and Retention
We take reasonable measures to protect personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, or misuse. However, no internet transmission is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security. Any transmission of personal information is at your own risk.
We will retain your personal information for as long as is necessary to fulfill the purpose for which we collected your personal information and any other permitted linked purpose and in compliance with our data retention policies. For example, we will retain and use your personal information to the extent necessary to comply with our legal obligations (for example, if we are required to retain your data to comply with applicable laws), resolve disputes, and enforce our legal agreements and policies.
Factors that may be relevant to determining how long we keep personal information include:- The purposes for which we collected it;
- The length of time we have an ongoing relationship with you and provide services to you (for example, for as long as you keep using our services) and the length of time thereafter during which we may have a legitimate need to reference your personal information to address issues that may arise;
- Your preferences and how you engage with our website and services;
- Any applicable legal or regulatory requirements; and
- Whether we need the information for our business purposes, or to protect our rights (for example, in actual or potential litigation).
Video and Audio Recording
Archdiocese may use technology to facilitate meetings, video conferences, and events, including technology that captures video, images, and audio, such as recording devices and AI notetakers and transcribers. By participating in Archdiocese meetings, video conferences, and events, you consent to Archdiocese's recording and processing of video, images, and audio collected during such meetings, video conferences, and events.
Questions or Concerns
If you want to exercise your rights applicable under Data Privacy Laws, update your preferences and information, or have any questions or concerns about this Notice or about Archdiocese’s processing of personal information, please contact the Archdiocese as follows:
By mail:
Archdiocese of Boston
66 Brooks Drive
Braintree, MA 02184
Attn: Webmaster – BostonCatholic.org
By phone: (617) 254-0100
By email: [email protected]