Our Lady of Health Catholic Forane Church (Syro-Malabar) Effective Date: September 13, 2026

Our Lady of Health Catholic Forane Church ("the Parish," "we," "us," or "our") respects the privacy of everyone who visits our website, attends our liturgies, and participates in the life of our parish community. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect through olhchurch.org, how we use it, and the choices available to you.

By using our website, you agree to the practices described in this policy.

1. Who We Are

Our Lady of Health Catholic Forane Church is a Syro-Malabar Catholic parish of the St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Chicago, serving the South Florida community. We operate as a religious non-profit organization.

Address: 201 N. University Drive, Coral Springs, FL 33071 Phone: (248) 794-4343 Email: email@olhchurch.org Website: https://olhchurch.org

2. Information We Collect

Information you give us directly

We collect information only when you choose to provide it, such as when you:

Submit a contact or inquiry form through our website
Register as a parishioner or update your family record
Register a child for CCD classes (Pre-K through High School)
Request a sacrament (Baptism, First Holy Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, Funeral) or a sacramental certificate
Request a Qurbana (Mass) intention
Register for parish events, retreats, novenas, the Parish Thirunal, or the parish picnic
Join a parish unit or ministry such as the Adult Choir, Youth Choir, ICA, SMCC, Mathrusangam, Youth, or CML
Volunteer for a parish role or complete Safe Environment Training compliance
Submit a prayer request
Sign up for parish announcements or bulletins

Depending on the form, this may include your name, address, phone number, email address, family member names, dates of birth, ward or family unit, sacramental history, previous parish affiliation, and any message you write to us.

Information collected automatically

When you visit our website, our hosting provider and any analytics tools may automatically collect standard technical information including your IP address, browser type, device type, operating system, referring website, pages viewed, and time spent on the site. This is used to keep the site secure and to understand general usage patterns.

Information we do not collect

We do not knowingly collect Social Security numbers, government ID numbers, or immigration status through this website. Please do not submit this information through any web form.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

Respond to your questions and requests
Maintain parish and sacramental records
Coordinate sacramental preparation and CCD/religious education
Register and communicate with you about parish liturgies, novenas, feasts, and events
Organize ward and family unit prayer meetings and prayer schedules
Coordinate parish units, ministries, choirs, and volunteer service
Maintain the safety, security, and proper functioning of our website

We do not use your information for commercial marketing, and we never sell, rent, or trade your personal information to anyone.

4. Children's Privacy

Our website serves the parish community as a whole and is not designed for children to use independently. We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under 13 without parental involvement.

Registration for CCD classes, youth ministry, the Youth Choir, and similar programs must be completed by a parent or legal guardian, who provides the child's information on the child's behalf. This information is used solely to administer the program, contact families, and maintain safety and attendance records.

Volunteers and staff who work with minors are subject to Safe Environment Training and screening requirements of the St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Chicago. Records related to that compliance are maintained by the Parish and the Diocese.

If you believe a child has submitted personal information to us without a parent's or guardian's involvement, please contact us at email@olhchurch.org and we will delete it promptly.

5. Names Published in Parish Communications

Parish announcements, the news and events pages, the prayer schedule, and the ward prayer meeting schedule may include the names of host families, ministry contact persons, unit officers, and parish council members, along with meeting dates, times, and in some cases a contact phone number or email address. This information is published to help the community participate in parish life.

If you serve in such a role and prefer that your name or contact information not appear on the website, please let the parish office know and we will remove it from future postings.

6. Photography, Video, and Livestreaming

The Parish photographs and records liturgies, celebrations, feasts, and parish events. These images may be published in our online Gallery, in announcements, and on parish social media accounts to share the life of our community.

Some liturgies and events may be recorded or livestreamed. If you attend, you may appear in the recording. Camera positions are generally focused on the sanctuary, but portions of the congregation may be visible.

If you do not wish for yourself or your child to appear in parish photographs, recordings, or livestreams, please notify the parish office in writing at email@olhchurch.org. We will make reasonable efforts to honor your request and will remove identifiable images from parish-controlled platforms when asked. We cannot control material that has already been downloaded or shared by others.

7. How We Share Information

We share personal information only in these limited circumstances:

Service providers. Website hosting, email delivery, and form processing services that act on our behalf and are required to protect your information.
Within the Church. With the St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Chicago and, where required, with other parishes or dioceses, for sacramental records, transfers of parish registration, Safe Environment compliance, and canonical or administrative requirements.
Legal requirements. When required by law, subpoena, or court order, or to protect the safety of individuals or the Parish.
With your consent. Any other sharing will be done only with your permission.

Parish directories, when published, are made available only to registered parishioners. Families may ask to be excluded from any printed or online directory.

We do not sell your personal information.

8. Sacramental and Parish Records

Sacramental records — including records of Baptism, Confirmation, Marriage, and Funerals — are permanent canonical records of the Catholic Church. They are maintained indefinitely under Church law and are not deleted on request. Access to these records is restricted to the individual concerned, their parents or legal guardians (for minors), and authorized Church personnel, and copies are released only in accordance with Church policy.

Other information, such as event registrations, form submissions, and announcement list subscriptions, is kept only as long as needed for its purpose or as required for accounting and legal obligations.

9. Cookies, Analytics, and Embedded Content

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to remember your preferences, keep the site secure, and collect anonymous usage statistics through [ANALYTICS TOOL — e.g., Google Analytics; remove this section if none is used]. Cookies are small files stored by your browser.

Our website also embeds a Google Maps frame showing the parish location. Google may set cookies and collect technical information when that map loads, under Google's own privacy policy. Pages may also embed audio, video, or images hosted by third parties, which are subject to those providers' policies.

You can disable or delete cookies through your browser settings. Some parts of the site may not function properly if you do.

10. Email and Announcements

If you subscribe to parish announcements or bulletins, you may unsubscribe at any time by contacting the parish office. We will continue to send communications directly related to a program you or your child are registered for, and communications required for sacramental preparation.

11. Links to Other Websites

Our website links to external sites, including the St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Chicago, Syro-Malabar Church resources, online resources pages, and Google Maps. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those sites. Please review their privacy policies separately.

12. Data Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect the information we hold, including encrypted connections (HTTPS) and restricted access to parish records. However, no method of transmission over the internet is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

13. Your Choices and Rights

You may, at any time:

Ask what personal information we hold about you
Ask us to correct inaccurate information
Ask to be removed from parish mailing lists or directories
Ask us to delete information that is not part of a permanent sacramental or parish record
Ask that your name or image not be used in parish media

To make a request, contact us at email@olhchurch.org or (248) 794-4343. We will respond within a reasonable time and may need to verify your identity first.

Visitors located in the European Union, the United Kingdom, or India may have additional rights under their local data protection laws. We will honor such requests to the extent those laws apply to us.

14. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The revised version will be posted on this page with a new effective date. Significant changes will be announced in the parish bulletin.

15. Contact Us

Questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or your information may be directed to:

Our Lady of Health Catholic Forane Church 201 N. University Drive Coral Springs, FL 33071 Phone: (248) 794-4343 Email: email@olhchurch.org Attention: Parish Office — Privacy Inquiries