Copyright
When your worshipping community inserts song lyrics or images of lyrics and melody into worship aids such as bulletins, song sheets, song books, supplementary hymnals, special event booklets or projection slides, a Reprint copyright license is required. Most worshipping communities use these kinds of worship aids on occasions such as weddings, funerals, and sacramental celebrations. Some communities use these kinds of worship aids each week.
Copyright licenses are also required for podcasting and live-streaming liturgy (Podcast license), as well as recording of musical works for practice purposes and use of recorded music in podcasts and YouTube videos (Audio license).
For more information on copyright and license requirements, see the following documents
The Role of Copyright in Repertoire Strategy
Not all copyright licenses are equal. The decision on which copyright license to use is strategic, impacting on a worshipping community's repertoire strategy.
One License now covers the broadest range of Catholic liturgical music, having acquired LicenSing Online and the Word of Life International businesses. One License requires reporting of Reprint license usage of songs for each occasion where worship aids containing lyrics or lyrics and melody are used. In addition, all video podcasting and use of recorded audio require reporting of Podcast and Audio license usage.
Liturgical Song is a Member Publisher with One License.
Christian Copyright Licensing International (CCLI) specialise in covering contemporary Christian praise and worship songs. They do not cover Catholic liturgical music such as Mass settings, responsorial psalms and other liturgical songs that use Catholic liturgical texts. Because the overwhelming majority of our song catalogue use Catholic liturgical texts, Liturgical Song is not a Partner Publisher with CCLI.
Catholic worshipping communities will need to have One License licenses to cover their general worship aid production, projection, podcasting and recorded audio needs.
Which Liturgical Song Publications Can Be Copied and Reprinted?
Publications containing choral music, instrumental music, keyboard accompaniment or guitar chords cannot be copied or reprinted. Each cantor, chorister and musician is expected to have an original publication, whether it is an ebook on an iPad or a printed edition or a digital download.
The only publications that can be copied or reprinted are the "For Assemblies" publications for printing in bulletins or parish supplementary hymnals, and for projection. Owners of these editions are authorised to copy or reprint the text or melody or both using an Annual Reprint license from One License, providing the usage of the songs is reported in the manner required by the copyright license provider.
If you include projection of lyrics or melody or both in podcasts or live streaming you require a Podcast license from One License.
If you make recordings or use Liturgical Song recordings or YouTube clips for rehearsals or in live worship you require an Audio license from One License.
If you create and store YouTube videos of live-streamed services or audio recordings you require both Audio and Podcast licenses.
Reporting
One License provides a website for weekly reporting of usage of songs where copied Lyrics or lyrics and melody have been inserted into a worship aid. One License makes reporting easy, by providing easy searching of items and creation of lists of regularly reported items.
