I don't know why, but I am still amazed every time I see petty, condescending and smallminded behavior on the part of the busybodies that inhabit so many chanceries and parish offices. I remember, back in 1994, reading a notice in my parish bulletin about the new Catechism of the Catholic Church that was about to be released. The gist of the article was that the Catechism was designed for catechetical experts and not the general public. Please.

I was reminded of it again this week. One of my favorite podcasts, Verbum Domini, has taken up the task of providing the daily scripture readings from the Lectionary in audio format. It's been great to be able to listen to these readings on my commute to work in the morning, etc. Well, now the office of permissions of the USCCB has stepped in and asked the creator of the podcast to discontinue this apostolate indefinitely due to copyright concerns. I'm not kidding. Click here and here for more details from the podcast's creator, Brian Noe. So much for encouraging the laity...

I wish people like this would stop for a moment and reflect on the words of the late John Paul II:

The Internet causes billions of images to appear on millions of computer monitors around the planet. From this galaxy of sight and sound will the face of Christ emerge and the voice of Christ be heard? For it is only when his face is seen and his voice heard that the world will know the glad tidings of our redemption. This is the purpose of evangelization. And this is what will make the Internet a genuinely human space, for if there is no room for Christ, there is no room for man. Therefore, on this World Communications Day, I dare to summon the whole Church bravely to cross this new threshold, to put out into the deep of the Net, so that now as in the past the great engagement of the Gospel and culture may show to the world “the glory of God on the face of Christ” (2 Cor 4:6). May the Lord bless all those who work for this aim.

Something is wrong when some of Christ's workers are squabbling about who owns the rights to the fishing nets...

Discussion over at Amy's.

UPDATE (9/14/05):

According to Dominic over at BettNet, one priest called the USCCB permissions office to complain, and received an earful of beaurospeak.

Podcaster Brian Noe posted this in the comments box over at Amy's today:

Here's the text of an email I sent to the Permissions Office of the USCCB/CCD this afternoon. Much of the discussion on this Weblog was in my mind and heart as I considered the matter. Thanks to all for your part in helping me discern what to do.

Folks:

I've spent much time in prayer over the past few days and had something of an epiphany this morning. To be brief, I no longer wish to use the NAB text for the Podcast in any event. I felt it best to let you know immediately, so that you won't spend any more of your time and resources in consideration of the matter.

I'll make sure that listeners know that this was my choice.

I trust that this resolves the issue to your satisfaction, and again apologize for any infringement that might have occurred.

Although I suspect that this offer won't be of interest to you, I would still be very happy for you to link to my Website or to the Podcast as a resource for others. For the time-being at least, I'll be using the Douay-Rheims.

http://verbumdomini.com

http://feeds.feedburner.com/VerbumDomini

Thank you once again for all of your efforts, and please let me know if I can ever be of assistance to you in any way.

Brian Noe

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