The operator of the Friends of the Ordinariate (FOTO) web site has received the following communication from a lawyer representing the Church in Wales:
Dear Sirs
I introduce myself as the solicitor for the Representative Body of the Church in Wales. It has been drawn to my attention that you have added the Church in Wales logo to your website. This use is unauthorised and we require you to remove our logo from your website immediately. Failure to do so will leave us no alternative than to seek the assistance of the Courts.
Yours faithfully…
Perhaps the Representative Body of the Church in Wales has excised 1 Corinthians 6 from Holy Scripture?
I find it sad but not surprising. Regardless of anything else that may be going on at the moment, the Church in Wales has always shown a somewhat disproportionate anxiety about such matters as copyright and use of logos etc. – ask any publishers who have tried to reproduce their liturgical material. I hope this was motivated by nothing more but, times being what they are, I'm inclined to be suspicious.
Perhaps a offer of payment would have helped, given the parlous state of the provinces's finances!
My comments here: http://letnothingyoudismay.blogspot.com/2010/02/solicitous.html
It is indeed shameful to see the regular violation of this Scriptural mandate. However, it seems to be paradigmatic of ecclesial bodies that cannot theologically defend a position, and/or are devoid of adherence to another Divine mandate…humility.
I for one find it amusing…
After all, the Catholic Church has no logo (I speak not of the Crossed Keys of the Holy See, nor of the Papal Arms).
Consider that a logo could be interpreted as an expression of endorsement.
Sure, the website did not intend that and only wanted to use it as an illustration, but surely there are other images that could be used instead to represent the idea (e.g. a map of Wales).
It's just lawyers doing what they have to do so they can defend the trademark (or whatever) at some later opportunity with "we take infringements very seriously". I don't believe at all that there is any malicious intent on the part of the Representative Body of the Church in Wales.
Oh dear. The ligiant liberalism of KJS is being taken on here as well.
I think I did mention it before in a comment that the Church of Wales seems to have a point. I think we in the TAC would become upset if an organisation promoting lesbian "priests" and same-sex "marriage" used our logo on a site to encourage people to go along with their agenda.
As FOTO is unofficial, I don't see why they need to use any of the official Church logos. They could just have said that they are interested in expressions of interest for the future Ordinariates from people belonging to the named institutional Churches. That would have been enough.
Yes, Father, I agree with you up to a point, but I think the circumstances are a little different in this case, whatever the strict legal position. The Friends of the Ordinariate are merely appealing to those at present within the Church in Wales, but for whom the Church in Wales, in a conspicuous denial of its history, previous interpretations of its constitution and even the preface and theological tone of its own 1984 Prayer Book, has refused to make any provision whatsoever, to indicate their interest in any future provision within the Catholic Church.
As one of those who have been denied episcopal provision in Wales I would dispute that the Church in Wales' logo "belongs" exclusively to the revisionist tendency which now controls it. It is, for the time being anyway, my province too.
I started writing a comment here, but the ideas have developed into a new article. The whole question revolves around the concepts of legality and morality, and the distinction between the two.
I see the Church in Wales’ point. I always thought FOTO using the official Anglican church logos was inappropriate. Like if some Anglican with a website encouraging people to leave the Roman Catholic Church used the papal arms on that site.
Some Protestant evangelical sects have done precisely that, use the Papal arms, Pope John Paul II's image, Mother Teresa etc in print material and websites proselytizing against Catholics. The Vatican has never pursued or threatened them with a lawsuit. And neither has Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity.