Privacy Policy.

Who we are

St Joseph's Catholic Church West Brunswick (ABN 17 142 662 410) is a registered charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC), serving Brunswick West since 1912. You can reach us at info@bbe.org.au or 183 Hope Street, Brunswick West VIC 3055.

We handle personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), and the privacy and safeguarding expectations of the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne.

What we collect

We only collect what we genuinely need to care for our parishioners and run the parish well. Depending on how you connect with us, that may include:

• Contact details — your name, email, phone number and suburb, when you email us or use a form on this site.
• Sacramental records — details recorded in the parish registers for Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage and Funerals, as required by canon law and kept with great care.
• Pastoral details — information you share when asking for pastoral care, home visits or practical help, held in strict confidence.
• Volunteer details — Working with Children Checks, safeguarding training records and references for those in parish ministry.
• Giving details — your name and transfer reference, so we can receipt and thank you. Bank details are exchanged directly by email and never published.

Children & vulnerable people

Information about children is provided by parents or guardians, is visible only to those who need it for sacramental preparation or parish programs, and is never published. Photos of identifiable children are used only with a parent or guardian's permission. Our safeguarding practices are detailed on our About page.

How we collect it

Directly from you — by email, through the mail-to forms on this website, by phone, on paper forms, or in person. The forms on this site simply open your own email app; nothing you type is stored on this website or sent to a third-party server.

Why we collect it

• To respond to enquiries and arrange sacraments and pastoral care.
• To maintain the parish registers required by church and civil law.
• To coordinate volunteers safely and meet safeguarding obligations.
• To receipt donations and meet our legal and ACNC reporting obligations.

Who we share it with

Only those who need it, and never for sale. Parish clergy and authorised staff see what they need to serve you; the Archdiocese may hold sacramental records as required by canon law; regulators such as the ACNC may receive information where the law requires it. That is the full list.

How we protect it

Information is held in access-limited accounts and locked physical records at the parish. We keep personal information only as long as it is needed, or as church or civil law requires (sacramental registers are permanent historical records), and then destroy or de-identify the rest.

Cookies & analytics

This website uses no cookies, no analytics trackers and no advertising pixels. Your visit here is your business.

Access & correction

You may ask at any time to see the personal information we hold about you, or to have it corrected. Email info@bbe.org.au with the subject line "Privacy request" and we will respond within a reasonable time — at no charge.

Complaints

If you believe we have mishandled personal information, please contact us first at info@bbe.org.au so we can put it right. If you are not satisfied, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at www.oaic.gov.au.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The current version will always be published on this page with its "last updated" date shown above.