Did you know that all adult volunteers age 18 and older in this Archdiocese who have ongoing contact with children, young people and vulnerable adults need to attend a “VIRTUS: Protecting God’s Children for Adults” session?
Some examples of church and school volunteers who need to attend a VIRTUS session are: all adults volunteering or working in the school, catechists, preschool aides, nursery helpers, companion ministers and youth group leaders.
The three-hour VIRTUS session consists of a presentation of printed materials, videos, and group discussion. Among other things, VIRTUS attendees will learn to recognize the signs and symptoms that indicate a child is being abused or exploited in some way, environmental factors to be aware of in the physical space of the parish or school, how abusers operate, and things parents can do to help educate their children about how to respond to inappropriate behavior toward them.
To register for a session please visit www.virtusonline.org. It is very important that you pre-register to make sure your attendance is counted. It also lets the Archdiocese contact you if your session is canceled. There are dozens of sessions scheduled throughout the archdiocese, and you may register for any session outside your home parish or school that’s not listed as “only for employees or volunteers of the hosting institution”. If you have already attended a VIRTUS session but did not pre-register nor post-register for that session at www.virtusonline.org, please do so to make sure you receive credit for attending.
For more information or for help registering for a VIRTUS session please contact the Parish Office at 952-227-4000.