The Privacy Act 2020 (PA 2020) governs the collection, use, storage, access and disposal of personal information held by any organisation within New Zealand.
The Act recognises the shift from a predominantly paper-based world to a digitised one, where sensitive information can be accessed and made public through the internet and social media in an instant, thus requiring the law to catch up with technological advancement.
The right to privacy and good reputation and its protection is exercised as an expression of communio (canon 209), to the benefit of the common good, which in turn protects the good name of the Church and serves the ultimate mission of the Church being the salvation of souls. The right to privacy and good name is also enshrined in canon 220 of the Code of Canon Law.
Can. 220 No one is permitted to harm illegitimately the good reputation which a person possesses nor to injure the right of any person to protect his or her own privacy.
GENERAL
Here is A Guide to Privacy for Parishes which is useful for all parish admin staff to consult, especially those with responsibilities for handling personal information.