Protecting God’s Children

Independent auditors from the USCCB have found the Archdiocese of Newark fully compliant with the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People in every year since audits began in 2003.

virtus training LSEC and Facilitator Information Protection of the Faithful

Still bringing value and helping to keep children safe.

You can help
You can help prevent the abuse of children. Know the warning signs of offenders. They prefer to be with children. They go overboard touching, wrestling, or tickling. They may give minors alcohol or drugs, or show them pornography. They allow children to break the rules. Offenders act as if the rules do not apply to them. If you observe an adult who is not behaving appropriately with children, speak up. Let someone know what you saw. You are not accusing anyone of anything. You are letting someone know you care, are watching, and are concerned that no harm is done to a child.

You can get help
Abuse is never the fault of the person harmed. It is always the responsibility of the offender. The reality is that most victims of abuse know their abuser. One in four females and one in six males report being abused as a minor. If you or someone you know is a victim of abuse there are things you can do, even if the abuse happened years ago. Call the police to report the abuse. If the abuser was in a position of authority in an organization, you should also report the abuse to that organization.

Empowering God’s Children Resources

The Virtus Empowering God’s Children program is being taught to all Catholic School and Faith Formation children.

Overview (English) Overview (Spanish) Teaching Guidelines for Parents (English) Teaching Guidelines for Parents (Spanish) Annual Empowering God’s Children Audit (Due April 15)

Protecting God’s Children Workshop Schedule

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Protecting God’s Children Recertification Options

The following live classes are acceptable for recertification: Protecting God’s Children (3 hours in length and good for 5 years) and Keeping the Promise Alive (90 minutes in length and good for 5 years). Individuals can also opt in to recertify online (which has an annual and monthly requirement). Individuals must use their original Virtus id to register for a live class and/or to access their online recertification content. Those who have taken Protecting God’s Children over 10 years ago must take the in-person Protecting God’s Children again.

Users who have forgotten their Virtus user name and password can visit www.virtusonline.org and click on “Need login information?” to retrieve-please do not create a new Virtus account. Users needing additional assistance can contact the Safe Environment team at sect@rcan.org. The schedule of all Protecting God’s Children classes can be accessed by clicking on the link on the right.

Online Recertification of Protecting God’s Children

If you are recertifying your Protecting God’s Children by doing the online option, please ensure you are reading the monthly articles in addition to doing the annual recertification module. Your account may be suspended in Virtus when no articles have been read in the previous year, and you will be unable to volunteer.

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