“No individual, parish, ministry”: Johannesburg Archdiocese Bars Use of Coat of Arms Without Authorization

The Archdiocese of Johannesburg has prohibited the unauthorized use of its coat of arms and warned against any alterations to the emblem, including those made through artificial intelligence.

Fr. Mlungisi Mabe, the Vicar for Media and Communications, issued the statement on Monday, October 19, to address the appearance of the emblem on parish posters, event advertisements, and other promotional materials without permission. He stated that no individual, parish, ministry, association, or institution may use, reproduce, modify, or incorporate the coat of arms into any material without proper authorization, effective immediately.

Fr. Mabe noted specific concerns regarding AI-generated posters that can distort or misrepresent the original design. He emphasized that the emblem must not be redesigned or manipulated manually or through AI to ensure its integrity is maintained. The coat of arms serves as an official symbol of identity, heritage, and authority for the Archdiocese, led by Stephen Cardinal Brislin, and is intended for use in official communications and authorized documents.