Safe Environment

The VIRTUS training, "Protecting God's Children" is instituted by the Diocese of Portland  and implemented by our parish /school, designed to increase one's knowledge and awareness of child sexual abuse and how one can help prevent the sexual abuse of minors and to implement the proper response when abuse may be indicated.

Who is Required to Sign Up for this Program?

Teachers, staff, and all volunteers who minister to or work with minor children or vulnerable adults must attend one of the VIRTUS Training program sessions and are required to read a number of bulletins online per year at the VIRTUS Online website.

Human resource considers the following list of volunteers as those that require this training:
                                                        
Catechists
All Parish and School Employees
Clerical/Office Workers                
Custodians (School or Parish)     
Drivers (for Youth)
Eucharistic Ministers to the Homebound
All School Volunteers
All Faith Formation and VBS Volunteers who woek with children
Maintenance (School or Parish)         
Sacramental Prep                         
Youth Ministry Core Team             
Any volunteer who may have contact with children or vulnerable adults


The following steps are required:
Obtain instructions
You will be given details and instructions of the process from the staff or safe environment person responsible for your ministry.

Background Forms
You will be provided background forms and code of ethics to be read, completed and returned to the parish.  Special care is taken to protect your privacy.

Create a Virtus Account
You log onto Virtus.org.  Click on first time registrant and follow the prompt to create an account.

Live Training Session
You will be required to attend a live training session, at St John Paul II Parish or at various parishes/schools throughout the Portland Diocese.  If you attend a training outside the parish you must provide St John Paul II a copy of your certificate.

Click here for a list of current training sessions (choose Portland Diocese).

At the training session, you MUST sign in on their sign-up sheet and put the name of the parish you will be volunteering at as your location.
 
Ongoing Personal Training/Required Readings
After the live training session is completed, ongoing training is provided through the VIRTUS Online website. You will be required to read a bulletin once a month. More information can be found at VIRTUS Online.

Choose from the links below to learn more about this program:
 

                                                                                                                                                      

To sign-up for a training class click here or contact:
Kris Benson at (207) 883-0334