Holy Family Church
South Pasadena, California
Safeguard for the Protection of
Children, Young People, and Vulnerable Adults
Policies and Procedures
(Rev. September 28, 2018)
INTRODUCTION
The Imago Dei, the image of God, is the teaching of our God that all people, everyone, are made in God’s own image. The human family is precious. God has bestowed this honor on us, therefore, we have an obligation to honor and respect all humans. Because of this teaching, our church and our faith call us to protect and support all human life. The most exposed are our children, teens and vulnerable adults. Our Church and our world call on us, as disciples of Jesus Christ, to safeguard the vulnerable. If we treat each person as the Imago Dei and we restore to the world the specific human dignity given to us by God we will create the kingdom of God, on earth.
In Dallas, 2002, at its annual meeting, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops drafted a landmark document in response to the crisis of sexual abuse of children in the Church. This document, setting forth the agreed upon responsibilities in combating the problem, was entitled the “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People”. Since then two revisions of the document have been promulgated. The last revision was June 2018. What began as three central tasks now has four tasks for the parish and an additional four for the diocese and/or nation. The charter specifically created the Office of Child and Youth Protection and assigned to it these four goals:
- To assist each diocese in implementing “Safe Environment” programs designed to ensure necessary safety and security for all children, teens and vulnerable adults as they participate in church and religious activities.
- To develop an appropriate compliance audit mechanism to assist the bishops in adhering to the responsibilities set forth in the Charter.
- To support victims with care, comfort understanding and reconciliation. The parish will connect victims to the archdiocesan support system for victims.
- To provide ongoing support to parents and children for the prevention of harm to children, teens and vulnerable adults.
The Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People
The Charter quotes Pope Francis as saying he has a “conviction that everything possible must be done to rid the Church of the scourge of the sexual abuse of minors and to open pathways of reconciliation and healing for those who were abused.”
LOS ANGELES RESPONSE
In 2002, Cardinal Roger Mahony responded to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops by establishing the Office of Safeguard the Children and the adoption of rigorous archdiocesan policies, including the mandatory formation of Safeguard the Children committees as a foundational measure in ensuring the safe environment of our parishes and schools throughout the Archdiocese.
In 2003, Msgr. Connolly pastor at Holy Family Church in South Pasadena, began the Safeguard the Children Parish Committee in response to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Each Safeguard the Children Parish Committee plays a crucial role. The committees assure that the safeguard initiatives found in the Charter are made a priority in every parish and school in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and that the Archdiocesan safe environment programs, policies and procedures are implemented throughout the parish/school and its community. Since that time, Holy Family has worked to teach, train, evaluate, listen and heal. When Cambria Smith Tortorelli became the Parish Life Director (PLD) in August 2008, she continued the good work started by this committee and all ministries who support children, teens and vulnerable adults.
OUR MISSION
The mission of Holy Family’s Safeguard the Children Parish Committee is to create a safe environment for children, youth, vulnerable adults in compliance with Archdiocesan Mandates. In accordance with the Safeguard the Children Parish Committee
Mission Statement, Holy Family has set four goals which reflect the goals of the Charter (rev. 2018):
Goal 1: Protect the Faithful
Goal 2: Guarantee an Effective Response to Allegations of Sexual Abuse of Minors
Goal 3: Ensure Accountability to our Procedures to Archdiocese of Los Angeles and Holy Family Church Policy and Procedures
Goal 4: Promote Healing and Reconciliation with Victims/Survivors of Sexual Abuse
Goal 1: Protect the Faithful In The Future
Policy compliance with the Archdiocesan Safe Environment Programs is a high priority for Holy Family and the implementation procedures are mandated throughout the parish community.
I. Administration
A. Holy Family Church will maintain a Safeguard the Children Parish Committee. Membership on the Committee will:
1. Follow the Committee membership guidelines in the “Safeguard the Children Parish Committee Handbook” created by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, (rev September 2018).
B. The Pastor/PLD will ensure that all visiting or non-permanent clergy are clergy in good standing. He/she will also make sure all staff are in good standing before hire and throughout employment.
C. The Committee will coordinate the compliance of the three-fold Archdiocesan guidelines for interactions with children, teens and vulnerable adults. (Defined below in subsection D)
1. The Committee will oversee the implementation within each ministry. The Committee will communicate to each ministry the Safe Environment Policies and Procedures. Ministry Compliance Norms 2018
2. Each ministry will develop a plan for implementation based on each ministry’s needs to ensure the protection of children and vulnerable adults. Each ministry’s plan will be submitted for review and concurrence to the Safeguard the Children Parish Committee. Through the commission system, the policies and procedures are disseminated, and plans can be viewed through the Safeguard the Children ministry web page. Because some of the requirements are annual, the ideal time to connect with each of the ministries is in the fall.
3. The Committee will provide guidance and support, as needed, to assist ministries in developing their plans, including, but not limited to, creating, adopting and implementing guidelines for chaperoning school field trips, retreat and mission trips. See Appendix B-F
Appendix B Important Contact Numbers
Appendix C-1 Holy Family School Carpool Chaperone Duties
Appendix C-2 Class Carpool Volunteer Coordinator Duties
Appendix D Holy Family School Field Trip Procedures
Appendix E Field Trip Information and Guidelines for Adult Chaperones
Appendix F Over Night Information and Guidelines for Adult Chaperones
4. If changes or updates are requested by a ministry, the Committee will review for concurrence.
D. The three-fold Archdiocesan guidelines for interactions with children, youth, and vulnerable adults are as follows:
1. One: Guidelines for Adults
a) All adults (priests, staff, faculty, volunteers in paid or non-paid positions) who serve with or around children, youth and/or and vulnerable adults must sign the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Guidelines for Adults Interacting with Minors at Parish/School Activities or Events. (rev. 2/2015)
b) This document is to be signed annually before serving with or around children, teens and vulnerable adults and kept within each Ministry’s notebook, hard copy or virtual.
2. Two: Guidelines for Minors
a) All minors serving in paid or non-paid positions who serve with or around children, youth and/or vulnerable adults must sign and have their parent/guardian sign the Archdiocese of Los Angeles Boundary Guidelines for Junior High and High School Youth Working or Volunteering with Children or Youth. (revised 2018).
b) This document is to be signed annually before serving with or around children, teens and vulnerable adults and kept within each Ministry’s notebook, hard copy or virtual.
c) A copy of the Guidelines is given to the youth upon signing.
d) See Appendix A for specific compliance requirements for each Ministry.
3. Three: VIRTUS Awareness training
a) All adults (priests, staff, faculty, and volunteers in paid or non-paid positions) who serve with or around children, youth and/or vulnerable adults must attend the VIRTUS: Protecting God’s Children training.
(1) One must sign up through www.virtus.org.
(2) One must complete this training before or concurrent with the first time one serves with or around children.
(3) A copy of the certificate of training completion is kept within the Operations Director’s office (Parish Offices).
(4) The Protecting God’s Children VIRTUS training session is valid for four years. If one allows their VIRTUS certificate to lapse for more than 30 days, one must repeat the three hour Protecting God’s Children VIRTUS Session. There are two ways to renew the VIRTUS Training and remain compliant:
(a) Reading the VIRTUS monthly bulletins and taking the test. A month prior to your compliance is to expire, request a four year continuance from Joan Vienna, Archdiocese Coordinator of the Safeguard the Children Ministry (JVienna@la-Archiocese.org).
(b) Taking the Keeping the Promise Alive 1.5-hour VIRTUS s Session.
(5) See Appendix A for specific compliance requirements for each Ministry.
4. Four: Fingerprinting with LiveScan
a) Holy Family Parish follows the mandates of the Archdiocesan fingerprinting policy.
b) The Safeguard Committee has determined the level of compliance for each ministry. See Appendix A for specifics.
c) The Archdiocese provides LiveScan fingerprinting at no cost to staff, faculty, or volunteers. LiveScan events are held in each region each month or daily at the Archdiocesan offices.
5. The Safeguard the Children Parish Committee will be responsive to the needs of Holy Family Parish in ensuring a safe environment. Committee will review policies and procedures for all ministries that have interactions with children, youth, vulnerable adults. Such policies include but are not limited to: Drop off and pick up procedures (Appendix C-1), Field trip procedures (Appendix D) chaperone (Appendix E), overnight chaperoning policies (Appendix F), and transportation policies.
II. Education
A. “Teaching Touching Safety” or the VIRTUS “Teaching Touching Safety” Children’s Program will be presented annually to the children and youth in all religious education-formation processes.
B. Facilitators will post the number of students who attend these sessions on the VIRTUS website.
III. Communication
A. The Safeguard the Children Parish Committee will provide ongoing communication. The committee will provide, weekly bulletin announcements and information under the heading “Safeguard the Children”, education formation ministries (school, confirmation, religious education, etc.) have a bulletin boards in their location. Included on the boards are the current, Working Together to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse pamphlet and the Victim Assistance Contact information for those who may have been a victim of abuse. See Appendix B
B. During Child Abuse Prevention Month (April), additional information and formation will be available (i.e. special speaker, blessing at Mass, awareness Sunday, etc.).
C. Annually, on the Third Sunday of Easter, Holy Family will focus on child and elder abuse at all of our Sunday Masses through Intercessions and blessing of those working to prevent abuse in our communities.
D. The current copy of “Working Together to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse,” which contains child abuse hotline numbers, will be readily available on the Holy Family website, all children’s ministry websites, in the church, in all Education Formation Offices, the Parish Center and the Welcoming Center Kiosk
E. The Child Abuse Reporting form and instructions on its use will be posted by all parish offices—Pastoral Center, Religious Education, Parish School, and Youth Ministry.
IV. Making a Report
A. All mandated reporters (all employees of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles) are required to report a reasonable suspicion of abuse or neglect of children, teens or vulnerable adults to the appropriate hot-line, local law enforcement authorities, their superior and the Archdiocesan Victim Assistance Ministry, as soon as possible, but no later than 24 hours. See the Los Angeles Archdiocese handbook.
Each situation is unique and therefore, the list of telephone numbers is comprehensive. Look for agencies appropriate to the specific situation. See Appendix B.
B. All volunteers at Holy Family Church are required to report a reasonable suspicion of abuse or neglect of children, teens or vulnerable adults to the staff member or the ministry leader connected to the volunteer activity as soon as possible but no later than 24 hours. Together with the staff member or ministry leader the volunteer must report the situation to the appropriate law enforcement agency, hotline, and the staff person’s superior in a timely manner. Ultimately the Parish Life Director/Pastor needs to be informed of the situation.
C. Holy Family Church will comply with the Archdiocesan rules and policies concerning persons who are registered sex offenders (Megan’s Law). and the more rigid “Zero Tolerance Policy”.
D. The Safeguard the Children/Safe Environment Archdiocesan and Holy Family Safeguard the Children policies, including reporting policies, are available on the Holy Family website.
Goal 2: Guarantee an Effective Response to Allegations of Sexual Abuse of Minors
Policy
I. Holy Family Church will comply with all applicable civil laws with respect to the reporting of allegations of sexual abuse or other suspected abuse of minors and vulnerable adults to civil authorities and cooperate in their investigation in accordance with the law of the jurisdiction in question.
II. Victims are to be advised of their right to make a report to public authorities and to be supported in this right.
Goal 3: Ensure Accountability to Archdiocese of Los Angeles (ADLA) and Holy Family Church Policies and Procedures
Policy
I. Annually, an ad hoc committee of Safeguard the Children will instruct and coach the education formation ministry leaders of the policies and procedures for keeping Holy Family Church compliant to the norms described by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Office of Child and Youth Protection, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles Safeguard the Children Committee, and the Holy Family Safeguard Committee.
II. On the fifteen of each month, the Holy Family Safeguard Committee will include a prayer for children and vulnerable adults on Holy Family’s social media accounts.
III. The Safeguard the Children Parish Committee will remain current on all new guidelines from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the ADLA Office of Safeguard the Children.
IV. Holy Family Church and the Safeguard the Children Parish Committee will cooperate with all auditing procedures as prescribed by the ADLA Office of Safeguard the Children.
Goal 4: Promote Healing and Reconciliation with Victims/Survivors of Sexual Abuse
Policy
I. Holy Family Church will publicize the existence of the Archdiocesan commitment to provide personal and psychological counseling to anyone affected by abuse by clergy and/or other church personnel.
Signed:_____________________________________________ Date: 9-28-18
Cambria Tortorelli