Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them,
for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.' " Matthew 19:14
Program Overview
VIRTUS Training – Protecting God’s Children
The Archdiocese of Chicago holds the protection of children as one of
their highest priorities. To this end, the Archdiocese of Chicago adopted a
Policy for the Safety of Children in Matters of Sexual Abuse in 2003 and
updated it in 2007. This policy requires that education and training in the
recognition and prevention of sexual abuse towards minor children be given
to all Diocesan employees and to all volunteers who come in regular contact
with children. This program is titled VIRTUS.
Parish Volunteers Requirements
For parish volunteers, the VIRTUS program requirements include the following
five activities.
Attend a live VIRTUS training session and read 24 follow-up bulletins
over a two year period. To register for a VIRTUS training session, sign up
on the web at http://www.virtus.org.
After completing the training, one bulletin will be posted to your VIRTUS
account each month for you to read.
Submit electronic fingerprints to the State of Illinois through BCII for
a criminal background check.
Read the booklet: Standards of Conduct for Ministry and then print and
sign the Acknowledgement Form
Complete a volunteer application.
Each parish administers their own program and may have additional
requirements. For more information contact your local parish or go to the
www.VIRTUS.org website.
Christ The King Requirements
In continuation to creating safe environments for our children and to meet
the requirements as set forth by the United States Conference of Catholic
Bishops (USCCB). The Archdiocese of Chicago and Rev. Thomas P. Conde, pastor of
Christ The King Catholic Parish, are requiring that all adults who work with or
are in contact with children under the age of 18 in any capacity on the parish
level, school level or any activities associated with the parish and/or school,
must go through the VIRTUS training and return all associated paper work,
including the release form which authorizes the parish VIRTUS coordinator to run
a background check.
Christ The King Parish VIRTUS Policy
It is the policy that no one will be allowed to continue in his or her
ministry or volunteerism here at Christ The King Catholic Parish until such time
that they are brought into compliance with VIRTUS training. This policy is
effective immediately.
If you are a school parent or parish volunteer who occasionally or
substantial contact with children under the age of 18, you MUST be in
compliance with all VIRTUS requirements before you can continue in your
volunteer role.
Registration Procedures
Please take responsibility for your VIRTUS training. Visit VIRTUS at
www.virtus.org and register for an upcoming
session. If you do not have access to a computer, please call Sue Clark in the
parish office, 773-238-4877 and she will assist you in the registration process.
Follow Up Information
After your VIRTUS training, please be sure to return all completed paper work
to the parish office. Please be assured that all information is kept
confidential and secure.
If you have any questions or need any assistance, please do not hesitate
to contact our parish VIRTUS coordinator, Sue Clark in the parish office,
773-238-4877.
VIRTUS Coordinator e-mailto:SClark9235@ckchicago.org
Link to Virtus Web Page
