Communications Policies and Resources
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News Media PolicyThrough its outreach to the news media, the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston seeks to ensure that the message of Christ’s boundless love, as lived and proclaimed by the faithful, reaches the widest possible audience of Catholics and non-Catholics alike. A robust presence in the news media – via print and web stories, television, radio, and community calendars – makes evident to the wider public the vital work of our local Church, affirms the relevance of the Catholic faith in our modern culture, and emboldens believers in their walk with Jesus. It also ensures that the voice of the Church is heard in the public square, where its moral and social teachings can influence thinking and opinion-making on the important issues of our day.
Download the Archdiocesan News Media Policy
Social Media PolicySocial media and other digital communications offer the Catholic Church extraordinary new ways to teach, evangelize, and build greater communion among the faithful, as well as reach out to those who are not Catholic or are no longer practicing their faith. Social media has redefined the way people relate to one another – and it is therefore imperative that the Church participate in all forms of digital communication in a manner that is safe and responsible.
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Beautiful photography can bring faith to life!If you plan to find photos online, be very careful that you follow all copyright laws. Photography and videography are works of art that are protected under U.S. copyright law. The copyright holder is the person who created the work or the individual/organization that commissioned the work to be created through contract or employment.
To help parishes (and all diocesan entities) limit their risk for legal and financial penalties and to advocate for responsible stewardship of resources, the Office of Communications has assembled this list of Dos and Don’ts to guide your search for great visual images that communicate your mission:Do
- Do distribute these Guidelines to all members of your staff who will publish in any form of media to help protect your parish/school.
- Do use photos, images, and videos that are created by your parish staff and are therefore owned by your parish.
- Do use photos, images, and videos that are created by volunteers or freelance personnel as long as they give your parish permission to do so in writing.
- Do obtain parental image consent forms for minors who appear in photographs and videos (
- Do purchase photo licenses from stock photography websites or download free stock photography from websites. A list of suggested websites can be found below.
- Do follow attribution or credit stipulations as required.
Don’t
- Don’t use a copyright-protected photo without seeking permission from the photographer or obtaining a license. (If you are not sure about the copyright, don’t use it!)
- Don’t assume that if a photo is on the internet, it is OK to use.
- Don’t assume that churches or non-profits can use photos without permission or a license. When it comes to copyrights, church bulletins, websites, and social media are all considered publishing platforms that are subject to U.S. copyright laws.
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Stock PhotographyFree stock photography resources:
Paid stock photography resources:
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Trusted News Sources
In his 2018 Message for World Communications Day (May 13, 2018), Pope Francis calls on communications professionals to be “the protectors of news” and to combat the spread of fake news through a “journalism for peace.” He urged communications professionals to return to the foundations of their calling, or rather, their “mission” to be, what he calls, “the protectors of news.”
We need a kind of journalism that is less concentrated on “the mad rush for a scoop,” and more on seeking the truth and to “pointing out alternatives to the escalation of shouting matches and verbal violence.”
To help you navigate the maze of many online sources of Catholic news and information, we provide a list below of reliable news providers and trusted sources.
USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops)
Catholic News Service (the Rome-based news agency of the USCCB)
Website: usccb.org/newsroom
Facebook: facebook.com/usccb
Instagram: instagram.com/usccb
X: x.com/usccb
Youtube: youtube.com/usccb
TikTok: tiktok.com/@usbishops
Facebook: facebook.com/CatholicNewsService
Instagram: instagram.com/catholic_news_service
X: x.com/CatholicNewsSvc
Youtube: youtube.com/user/CatholicNewsServiceOSV News
Website: osvnews.com
Facebook: facebook.com/osvnews
Instagram: instagram.com/osvnews
X: x.com/CatholicNewsSvcVatican News
Website: vaticannews.va/en.html
Facebook: facebook.com/news.va.en
Instagram: instagram.com/vaticannews
X: x.com/vaticannews
YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/VaticanNewsENCatholic Relief Services
Website: crs.org
Facebook: facebook.com/CatholicReliefServices/
Instagram: instagram.com/catholicreliefservices
X: x.com/catholicrelief
YouTube: youtube.com/user/catholicreliefCatholic Charities, USA
Website: https://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/
Facebook: facebook.com/catholiccharitiesusa/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ccharitiesusa/
X: x.com/CCharitiesUSA
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ccharitiesusaArchdiocese of Galveston-Houston
Facebook:
Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston: facebook.com/archgh
Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese: facebook.com/CatholicSchoolsHouston/
Office of Adolescent Catechesis and Evangelization: facebook.com/oace.archgh/
Office of Aging: facebook.com/aging.archgh
Office of Evangelization and Catechesis: facebook.com/ARCHGH.OEC/
Oficina de Evangelización y Catequesis: facebook.com/OEC.ARCHGH/
Office of Family Life Ministry: facebook.com/FamilyLifeArchGH/
Office of Pro-Life Activities: facebook.com/pla.archgh/
Office of Worship: facebook.com/archghow/
Secretariat for Social Concerns: facebook.com/SocialJusticeandPeace/
Young Adult and Campus Ministry: facebook.com/YoungAdultsArchGH/Instagram:
Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston: instagram.com/archgalhou
Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese: instagram.com/catholicschoolsarchghYouTube: youtube.com/archgh
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/archgh
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The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston has partnered with Flocknote to enable parishes to improve their communications by more effectively emailing and text messaging their community. The diocese is covering the cost of Flocknote for parishes, schools, and chancery offices, including training and importing existing contacts into Flocknote.
For more information, please contact Sean O'Driscoll, Senior Communications Manager, at [email protected] or 73-652-8227.
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