Privacy Policy

Last Updated: January 1, 2025

Mount Carmel Parish Flat Lake ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website and interact with our services.

Information We Collect

Information You Provide

We may collect personal information that you voluntarily provide when you:

• Fill out our contact form (name, email address, phone number, message)
• Submit a prayer request
• Subscribe to our parish newsletter
• Register as a parishioner
• Make a donation

Information Automatically Collected

When you visit our website, we may automatically collect certain information including:

• Browser type and version
• Operating system
• Pages visited and time spent on our site
• Referring website addresses
• IP address (anonymized)

How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Respond to your inquiries and requests
• Send you parish newsletters and event updates (with your consent)
• Process donations and issue tax receipts
• Improve our website and services
• Maintain parish records for sacramental and administrative purposes
• Comply with legal obligations

Information Sharing

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share your information only in the following circumstances:

• Diocese of St. Paul: As required for ecclesiastical administration
• Service providers: With trusted third parties who assist in operating our website (subject to confidentiality agreements)
• Legal requirements: When required by law or to protect rights and safety

Data Protection

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. However, no method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure.

Cookies

Our website may use cookies — small text files stored on your device — to enhance your browsing experience. These may include:

• Essential cookies: Required for basic website functionality
• Analytics cookies: Help us understand how visitors use our site (via Google Analytics)

You can control cookie preferences through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect your experience on our website.

Your Rights

Under applicable Canadian privacy legislation (including PIPEDA), you have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you
• Request correction of inaccurate information
• Request deletion of your personal information
• Withdraw consent for marketing communications
• Lodge a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to external websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any external sites you visit.

Children's Privacy

We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that a child has provided us with personal information, we will take steps to delete it.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last Updated" date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

Contact Us

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

Mount Carmel Parish Flat Lake
4609 50 AVE, ST PAUL, Alberta T0A3A3
Phone: (780) 645-3277
Email: MountCarmelFlatLake@hotmail.com