Protecting God's Children (July 2023)

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: Protecting God’s Children®.

NEW VOLUNTEERS – COMPLIANCE IN THE VIRTUS.ORG SYSTEM

All Catholic Dioceses and Archdioceses have instituted programs whereby they are taking all possible steps to ensure the safety of our children. A very important part of these programs involves doing criminal background checks on all employees and individuals who come in direct contact with our children. All volunteers at St. Francis Xavier are in this category.

The Office for the Protection of Children & Youth has streamlined the registration process and submission of background check for volunteers. Now all volunteers are asked to visit: http://www.virtusonline.org where you will register for an online Virtus session called Protecting God’s Children for Adults. These are now offered only online. When you do, volunteers will also be asked to submit their background check in the Virtus System. When asked to select your primary site, please follow these guidelines:        

Parish volunteers, your location is: St. Francis Xavier Parish – Spring

Virtus is now adding Mandated Reporter Training for all volunteers, which will need to be completed every three years.  Please click on the link below to complete.  You will need to fill out the Acknowledgement Form (Cants 22) and return it to Maureen at the rectory, as well as the certificate at the end of the training

https://mr.dcfstraining.org/UserAuth/Login!loginPage.action?resetSucceeded=true

You will also: Download the DCFS Cants (Form 689). Complete and sign the form and send to Maureen Pipal, Parish Site Administrator at mpipal@sfxlg.org or 124 N. Spring, LaGrange, IL 60525.  Your registration in the Virtus site will provide information for a background check which you will authorize on the last page. Step by step instructions for the Virtus site process can be found by clicking this link. The links embedded in the instructions are not linked. They are for demonstration purposes only.  You will also be prompted to fill out an on-line Archdiocesan Standards of Behavior (which used to be called the Code of Conduct).

CURRENT VOLUNTEERS – WHO HAVE ALREADY ATTENDED A VIRTUS SESSION

Please log into your account at www.virtus.org and make sure your account is up to date.  Your home page will show what needs to be completed in order to stay compliant.