Copyright Infringement

[catholicboy2]

About a year or 2 ago, i asked my sister to borrow a CD of hers to get a few songs you couldn’t buy on iTunes without paying for the whole album. I thought that I must pay her otherwise it could be copyright infringement. I didn’t know then it was illegal (paying her, but I knew it was probably to do it without paying) and I’ve gone to Confession plenty of times after that. I know I won’t do that again, but should I ask for the money I payed her back, would it be a mortal sin to let her keep the money? And if I do need to pay her back, do I need to tell her it’s because of me borrowing the album or could I just ask it as “hey can I have 4 bucks”? And what about some CDs my Catholic grade school made for our graduation with many songs my michael jackson and other well-known artists on it? And for my Freshmen retreat at my Jesuit high school where our leaders (Juniors or Seniors) made us CDs like the ones my grade school made-would those be sinful too?

 

[GerardMajella]

I know I won’t do that again, but should I ask for the money I payed her back, would it be a mortal sin to let her keep the money?

From her perspective, you paid her to borrow a CD. There is nothing illegal or immoral about borrowing a CD, assuming you returned it.

What you did afterwards – making illegal copies of copyrighted material – is on your conscience, not hers.

She may – or may not – have known that you were going to make illegal copies. That’s on her conscience, and up to her to reconcile with her own confessor.

In this instance, I wouldn’t ask for your money back. You have no legitimate reason to do so. It would be like borrowing and paying for a rental car, robbing a bank, then asking the car rental agent for your money back because a crime was committed using the rental car.

And if I do need to pay her back, do I need to tell her it’s because of me borrowing the album or could I just ask it as “hey can I have 4 bucks”?

See above. You have already paid her for borrowing the CD. The deal is done.

And what about some CDs my Catholic grade school made for our graduation with many songs by michael jackson and other well-known artists on it?

If you believe the creation of this CD violated copyright laws, I would donate the CD to the poor. You shouldn’t profit from another’s illegal activities — if they were, in fact, illegally copyrighted.

And for my Freshmen retreat at my Jesuit high school where our leaders (Juniors or Seniors) made us CDs like the ones my grade school made-would those be sinful too?

Same as above.

 

[SonCatcher]

You should either delete the tracks or purchase them legitimately. You don’t know the circumstances the CDs were made in so I’d suggest asking the schools. They may be licensed copies. If not, they should be destroyed.

Even though you have gone to confession since these events, it may be beneficial to mention them at your next confession since they bother you now (doesn’t affect your prior absolution).