Vatican copyright permission

[paperwight66]

My apologies if this is not the correct forum.

On the Vatican website, there is a very interesting essay on the development of the Stations of the Cross as most usually encountered nowadays.

I wold very much like to reproduce it (possibly edited down) as a leaflet for non-Catholic visitors to our church.

Would there be copyright issues, though? I have tried to find out where to ask on the Vatican website itself, but to be honest, it’s not very user-friendly. My own priest does not know the answer.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

From the Vatican web site:

DECREE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE, CARDINAL ANGELO SODANO, ENTRUSTING THE EXERCISE AND CUSTODY OF ALL DEEDS AND DOCUMENTS OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF AND THE HOLY SEE TO THE VATICAN PUBLISHING HOUSE

The Vatican Publishing House, as an Institution connected with the Holy See, has been entrusted with the exercise and custody, permanently and throughout the world, of every moral copyright and of all the exclusive financial rights - without any exception - over all the deeds and documents through which the Supreme Pontiff exercises his own Magisterium.

To discharge this office, the Vatican Publishing House, in the person of the Director and legal representative pro tempore, acts in the name and interests of the Holy See, with the authority to undertake any act for the disposition of the said rights, to initiate legal and judicial proceedings, to propose any action in order to ensure the full protection and realization of these rights and to resist any claim or request from third parties, in conformity with the norms of the international treaties and conventions to which the Holy See adheres.

From the Vatican, 31 May 2005

Cardinal ANGELO SODANO
Secretary of State

Contact info for the Vatican Publishing House is here: vatican.va/roman_curia/institutions_connected/lev/docs_lev/contatti_en.htm

 

[paperwight66]

Thank you so much!

I wasn’t sure what difference it made whether it was (for instance) an Encylical with the Holy Father as author, versus an article written by someone else.

I’ll contact the address you so kindly supplied and take it from there. Incidentally, my priest wasn’t aware that the Mass was copyright/ Maybe I’m wrong on that, and it’s only the Lectionary?

 

[ProVobis]

Thank you so much!

I wasn’t sure what difference it made whether it was (for instance) an Encylical with the Holy Father as author, versus an article written by someone else.

I’ll contact the address you so kindly supplied and take it from there. Incidentally, my priest wasn’t aware that the Mass was copyright/ Maybe I’m wrong on that, and it’s only the Lectionary?

The Mass is copyrighted. The Vatican owns the Latin edition and the ICEL owns the English translation to which royalties are paid. The Vatican I believe generally waives the royalties as long as the text isn’t changed.

 

[CatholicHockey7]

The Mass is copyrighted. The Vatican owns the Latin edition and the ICEL owns the English translation to which royalties are paid. The Vatican I believe generally waives the royalties as long as the text isn’t changed.

I’m confident in this assessment because I recently asked the USCCB for permission to reprint something for our Adoration Chapel, and they did not ask for royalties as long as we weren’t selling, mass reproducing, or altering the text. The only thing we had to do was include an approved note about the copyright.