Privacy Policy

Introduction

Updated 10/17/25

Rural Catholic Youth Ministry (“RCYM,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) operates the website https://ruralcatholicym.com and provides educational and ministry-related content, online courses, community memberships, and coaching resources for parishes, youth ministers, and other Catholic leaders.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect personal information when you visit our website, make a purchase, or otherwise interact with us online.

Information We Collect

A. Information You Provide Directly

  • Name, email address, and contact information when you register for an account, submit a contact form, or join our email list.
  • Payment and billing details when you purchase a course, membership, or coaching session (processed securely by Stripe).
  • Messages or inquiries you send via our contact or billing forms.

  • Optional demographic or ministry-related information you choose to share.

B. Information Collected Automatically

  • IP address, browser type, device, and general location (via analytics tools such as Google Analytics).
  • Pages viewed, time on site, and referring URLs.

  • Cookies and similar technologies for essential site functions, performance, and analytics.

C. Information from Third-Party Integrations
We use third-party services such as, but not limited to:

  • Stripe for secure payment processing;
  • Google Workspace / Gmail for communications;
  • Zapier for automations;
  • WooCommerce for e-commerce services;
  • WordPress for website building;
  • Bluehost for webhosting.

These above services may collect or process personal data according to their own privacy policies.

D. Tax Exemption Details
When a purchaser identifies a transaction as tax-exempt, we collect the associated tax-exemption ID number and related information for verification and record-keeping purposes. This information is stored securely and used only to document the tax-exempt status of the purchase.

How We Use Your Information

We use personal information to:

  • Process orders, payments, and course enrollments.
  • Provide access to online content and member areas.
  • Communicate updates, invoices, and ministry resources.
  • Respond to inquiries and customer support requests.
  • Maintain and improve our website performance and security.
  • Send optional newsletters or promotional materials (with opt-out available anytime).
  • We use tax-exemption information solely to apply lawful sales-tax exemptions, comply with record-keeping obligations, and, if necessary, verify exemption eligibility with state or federal tax authorities. This data is never used for marketing or shared with third parties except as required by law.

We do not sell, rent, or trade your information with third parties.

Legal Bases for Processing (GDPR)

If you reside in the European Economic Area (EEA), we rely on these legal bases:

  • Contract: To fulfill your course purchase, membership, or coaching agreement.
  • Consent: When you subscribe to communications or optional updates.
  • Legitimate Interest: To maintain and improve our site and communicate relevant ministry resources.
  • Legal Obligation: To comply with accounting and tax laws.

How We Share Information

We share limited data with trusted service providers solely to operate our business, including, but not limited to:

  • Payment processors (Stripe);
  • Email and CRM tools (Google Workspace);
  • Website hosting and analytics providers (Bluehost, Google Analytics, WordPress).

All third-party partners are required to maintain appropriate data protection and security standards. We may disclose information if required by law, to protect our rights, or to prevent fraud or abuse.

Cookies & Tracking

RCYM uses cookies for:

  • Site functionality (WordPress, WooCommerce).
  • Analytics (Google Analytics).
  • Remembering preferences and cart contents.

You can manage or disable cookies in your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect certain website features.

Data Retention

We retain personal information as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes above:

  • Purchase and billing records and tax exemption IDs: retained for tax and accounting compliance (typically 7 years).
  • Contact forms and correspondence: retained up to 2 years.
  • Newsletter/promotions data: retained until you unsubscribe.

Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the right to:

  • Access, correct, or delete your personal information.
  • Withdraw consent to marketing communications.
  • Request a copy of your data.

To exercise these rights, email [email protected].

Security

We use SSL encryption, secure hosting (Bluehost), and industry-standard safeguards to protect your data. However, no online transmission is 100% secure. Use discretion when sharing sensitive information.

Children's Privacy

Our site and content are intended for adult ministry leaders, not minors. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13. If we learn that we’ve received information from a child, we will delete it promptly.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy occasionally. The “Updated” date at the top will reflect the most recent revision.

Contact

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or your data, please email: [email protected].

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