Virtus Training – Protecting God's Children
What is the VIRTUS Training Program?
The VIRTUS training, "Protecting God's Children" program is 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.
The primary goal of the VIRTUS program is to educate all volunteers in the recognition and prevention of sexual abuse.
Who is Required to Sign Up for this Program?
Teachers, staff, and all volunteers who minister to or work with minor children 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 have contact with children:
- Athletic Directors
- Babysitters
- Cafeteria Workers
- Catechists
- Clerical/Office Workers
- Chaperones for Overnight Events
- Crossing Guards
- Custodians (School or Parish)
- Drivers (for Youth)
- Day Care/Extended Care Workers
- Instructional Assistants
- Library Assistants
- Maintenance (School or Parish)
- Playground Monitors
- "Room" Mothers or Fathers
- Sacramental Prep
- Scout Volunteers
- Tutors
- Youth Ministry Program Leaders
- Youth Retreat
VIRTUS Procedural Requirements
The following steps are required:
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Live Training Session
The first step is to attend a live training session, which is offered at various parishes/schools throughout the Indianapolis Archdiocese. Link to the VIRTUS Training website to register. Once you are on the VIRTUS Training website, click on the link for "Registration" which is located on the left-hand side of their web page, then follow the directions to find a location.
At the training session, you MUST sign in on their sign-up sheet and put "St. Mark Catholic Churhc" as your location.
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Background Check
The second step is to complete a Background Check Form administered by the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. This form is a universal form for volunteers and employees. Volunteers will not have a credit check done; however, social security numbers are required! Special care is taken to protect your privacy.
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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 number of bulletins online per year. More information can be found at VIRTUS Online.
You are required to read a certain number of bulletins per calendar year as part of the continuing education program.
VIRTUS Continuing Education Guidelines
Guidelines are the following:
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Clergy, deacons, and all paid professional staff to complete at least 12 of the "Protecting God's Children" bulletins online per year.
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Facilitators of "Protecting God's Children" are required to complete all of the facilitators' online bulletins in addition to the requirement above per year.
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All non-professional staff (chaperones, teacher's aides, maintenance workers, bus drivers—unless paid) are required to complete at least six (6) "Protecting God's Children" bulletins each year online or by other means monitored by their supervisors.
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Volunteer catechists are required to complete at least eight (8) "Protecting God's Children" bulletins each year.
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All other volunteers (coaches, scouts, etc.) are required to complete at least two (2) "Protecting God's Children" bulletins per year selected and distributed by the supervisor of the volunteers.
- Everyone else who participates in the "Protecting God's Children" program is invited to continue their training by using the VIRTUS online system and completing as many bulletins as they wish.
For further questions please contact Mary Lynn Cavanaugh
Mass Schedule
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Weekday Mass:
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Tuesday-Friday 9:00 AM
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Saturday
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Anticipation 5:30PM
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Sunday:
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7:30 AM, 9:30 AM, & 11:45 AM
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Contact St. Mark
535 E Edgewood Ave.
Indianapolis, IN, 46227
Office: 317-787-8246
Email: info@stmarkindy.org
St. Mark writes the Gospel