Terms of Use

1. Agreement to Terms

These Terms of Use ("Terms") govern your access to and use of the Catholic Academy website, including all pages, courses, quizzes, certificates, and related content (collectively, the "Site"). By accessing or using the Site, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, please do not use the Site.

2. About Catholic Academy

Catholic Academy is a free, independent lay apostolate offering Catholic religious education to the public. The Site is provided free of charge, requires no account or registration, and is intended for personal, non-commercial use in the study of the Catholic faith.

Catholic Academy is not an official publication of, nor formally affiliated with, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), the Holy See, or any diocese. Content is prepared in good faith fidelity to the teachings of the Catholic Church, drawing on Sacred Scripture, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and the public teaching documents of the USCCB and the Holy See, but it remains subject to the authority of the Magisterium. Readers seeking authoritative guidance on matters of faith and morals should consult their local bishop, pastor, or another qualified member of the clergy.

3. Not Pastoral, Spiritual, or Professional Advice

The content on this Site is provided for general educational and informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for the sacraments, for spiritual direction, for pastoral counsel, or for the guidance of a priest, deacon, or other qualified minister. If you are in spiritual distress, discerning a serious decision, or in need of Confession or other pastoral care, please contact your local parish directly.

4. Courses, Quizzes, and Certificates

The Site offers self-paced courses with optional quizzes and printable certificates of completion. These features are provided for personal encouragement and record-keeping only. Course progress, quiz answers, and any name or parish/community information you enter for a certificate are stored locally in your own browser and are not transmitted to or stored on our servers (see our Privacy Policy for details).

Certificates generated through the Site are not academic credentials, are not issued or recognized by any diocese, parish, seminary, or accredited institution, and do not constitute formal catechetical certification. They are offered simply as a personal token of completion.

5. Acceptable Use

You agree to use the Site only for lawful purposes and in a manner consistent with its charitable, educational purpose. You agree not to:

• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to the Site, its underlying code, or any connected systems;
• Interfere with or disrupt the Site's operation, including through automated scraping that degrades the experience for other visitors;
• Use the Site to transmit any unlawful, defamatory, or harassing material;
• Misrepresent your affiliation with Catholic Academy, or use its name, crest, or branding to imply an endorsement that has not been given;
• Reproduce, republish, or redistribute substantial portions of the Site's original content for commercial purposes without prior written permission.

6. Intellectual Property

Unless otherwise noted, the text, design, graphics, and original compilation of content on the Site are the property of Catholic Academy and are protected by applicable copyright and other intellectual property laws. You may view, download, and print material from the Site for your own personal, non-commercial, educational use, and you may quote brief excerpts with appropriate attribution. All other use requires our prior written permission.

Some content on the Site draws on or quotes Sacred Scripture, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, magisterial documents, and other third-party sources, which remain the property of their respective rights holders and are used here for educational, non-commercial purposes.

7. Third-Party Links and Resources

The Site may link to third-party websites and resources — for example, parish finders, source archives, or external references — for your convenience. We do not control and are not responsible for the content, accuracy, or privacy practices of any third-party site. Inclusion of a link does not imply our endorsement of that site or its content.

8. No Warranty

The Site and its content are provided "as is" and "as available," without warranties of any kind, express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of accuracy, completeness, merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement. While we make every effort to ensure content is accurate and faithful to Catholic teaching, we do not warrant that the Site will be uninterrupted, error-free, or entirely free of mistakes, and we do not warrant that any particular presentation of doctrine is exhaustive or free from the limitations of human authorship.

9. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Catholic Academy and its contributors shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or for any loss of data, arising out of or related to your use of, or inability to use, the Site, even if advised of the possibility of such damages. Your use of the Site is at your own discretion and risk.

10. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Catholic Academy and its contributors from any claims, damages, losses, or expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of your violation of these Terms or your misuse of the Site.

11. Changes to These Terms

We may revise these Terms from time to time to reflect changes to the Site or applicable law. The updated Terms will be posted on this page with a revised "Last updated" date. Your continued use of the Site after any changes take effect constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms.

12. Changes to the Site

We reserve the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue the Site, or any part of it, at any time and without notice.

13. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws applicable in the jurisdiction in which Catholic Academy operates, without regard to conflict of law principles, except where superseded by applicable local law.

14. Contact Us

If you have any questions about these Terms of Use, please contact us at [email protected].