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Programs To Be
Implemented In Diocese For Protection Of Children, Young People;
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By Cori Fugere Urban
Staff Reporter
BURLINGTON—Three programs aimed at the protection of children and young
people will be implemented throughout the Diocese of Burlington beginning
in September.
The educational programs' implementation, which will take place in stages
during the fall, is a response to the U.S. bishops' 2002 Charter for the Protection
of Children and Young People.
The charter requires that there be an educational program throughout the diocese
that is directed toward parents and children in parish religious education
programs and in Catholic schools.
Three programs will be implemented by direction of the diocesan bishop and
the Misconduct Review Board:
* Child Lures Prevention Program, a program directed toward the Catholic school
community. Child Lures Prevention personal safety resources are designed to
prevent childhood sexual exploitation, abduction, Internet crime, drug use
and school violence. They are used by families, schools, law enforcement,
the U.S. military, health/medical officials, religious schools/youth groups,
government agencies and civic organizations. This program will be administered
by the superintendent of Catholic schools, principals and teachers. It will
be delivered through regular classroom instruction.
*Formation in Christian Chastity, a program geared toward religious education
programs in parishes. This program teaches the truth and meaning of human
sexuality to children on an age-appropriate level. It draws from the riches
of the church in its examples of the saints and its faithfulness to church
teaching on chastity and dignity. According to the program description: "The
elements of this program do not simply look at how our human sexuality operates,
or a list of the acceptable or unacceptable actions. Our goal is to provide
an overview of how our spiritual, social and physical elements are shaped
by a truly Christian understanding of a life characterized by joyfully living
the virtue of chastity." This program will be administered by directors
of religious education and catechists and delivered through regular religious
education instruction.
*VIRTUS, a program for priests, deacons, staff, parents and adult volunteers
in the Catholic faith community. VIRTUS is the brand name that identifies
best practices programs designed to help prevent wrongdoing and promote "right
doing" within religious organizations. The VIRTUS programs empower organizations
and people to better control risk and improve the lives of all those who interact
with the church. This program will be administered by directors of religious
education and delivered through VIRTUS workshops on a regional schedule with
on-line training and monitoring.
According to Kevin Scully, director of safe environment programs for the Diocese
of Burlington, these programs will "elevate awareness to the varied conditions
that may exist in any environment that would otherwise not be noticed."
He said children will be educated about situations of which they need to be
wary and that they will be directed to their parents for guidance.
The programs for parents and children will be used throughout the curriculum
of the academic year and empower parents and children to talk about sensitive
issues, share concerns and be better aware of their environments, Scully said.
"Our purpose is to (enable) discussions in the nuclear family environment
that are educated and provide for a greater level of safety for children,"
he added.
After considering several programs, diocesan officials settled on the three
chosen because of the way they fit into demographics and the geographic nature
of the statewide diocese, their Catholic teaching foundation, their ability
to be executed in the Catholic schools and parish religious education programs,
their ability to be sustained into the future and their inclusion of a self-evaluation
component to keep current with changes in society and in the church.
Implementation of an education program is an essential element of The Charter
for the Protection of Children and Young People, a response to the clergy
sexual abuse scandal.
The three programs are part of the diocese's work to implement the charter
and be in full compliance with it.
The diocese has undergone two audits in the past to determine its compliance
with the charter. Corrections were made in the areas of communications with
priests who have been removed from ministry for sexual abuse of a minor and
with the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith. Criminal records
checks of persons who work and minister directly with children were also increased
as per the audit.
The final remedy to make the diocese in compliance with the charter is the
implementation of the safe environment training programs.
The next on-site audit is scheduled for Sept. 26-29, and Scully said he anticipates
it will find the diocese fully compliant with the charter.
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