Copyright laws are threatening a Bishops’ Conference project to “spread the Word of God” to millions of Filipino faithful across the country, a bishop says. Dubbed the May They Be One campaign, the project aims to distribute 5 million free copies of the New American Bible to families by 2013.
The Episcopal Commission of Biblical Apostolate, along with the Philippine Bible Society started the project in 2008 after a survey revealed 60 percent of Filipino families didn’t own a Bible.
But their choice of Bible is proving a problem.
A copyright law bars reproduction of that Bible without permission from copyright owner Confraternity of Christian Doctrine of the United States Conference of the Catholic Bishops, said the Episcopal commission’s chairman Auxiliary Bishop Pablo David of San Fernando.
Even though the bible society is willing to publish the Bible “for free,” copyright and royalty issues need to be settled, he said.
The bishop plans to appeal to USCCB President Cardinal Francis George of Chicago for permission to reprint their Bible for free distribution.
“I hope they give us the all clear to print,” Bishop David said.
“I believe in intellectual property rights and it has to be respected, but who owns the Word of God?” he asked.
People “should be willing to make” the Bible “available to the world … If possible free of charge” he said.
SIC: CTHIND