Virtus Training

Chairperson: Lisa Reilly

Child sexual abuse is a worldwide public health issue. Child abuse, particularly child sexual abuse, is reprehensible especially when the wrongdoer is affiliated with the Church. The VIRTUS programs assist the Church in being a safe haven for children and a messenger for preventing child sexual abuse within the Church and society in general. We seek to achieve this lofty goal through our child sexual abuse prevention program:

Child abusers seek to operate and abuse their power within nurturing, child-friendly environments where it is assumed that nobody would want to harm a child. Religious organizations of all faiths are an easy target. The PROTECTING GOD'S CHILDREN program implements safety mechanisms that send a message to all abusers and potential abusers:

• Child abuse is not tolerated,
• Children are vigilantly protected,
• Victims are listened to, heard, and shielded from further abuse, and
• Offenders are identified and punished.

All Teachers, Volunteers and Staff who have access to our children are required by the Archdiocese to attend this training. Please call your VIRTUS Coordinator, Lisa Reilly at 814-8797 for any questions regarding the required Protecting God’s Children training. Training dates are noted on the Parish Calendar. Please be advised, you MUST be registered in order to attend the training.