Virtus Training

“Protecting God’s Children”

Mandated for all Adult Parish Volunteers
from ALL Parish Ministries including:

  • Religious Education
  • St. Agnes School (including field trip chaperones)
  • Lectors
  • Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
  • Outreach
  • Baptism Program
  • RCIA
  • Pre-Cana
  • Youth Ministry
  • CYO Coaches
  • Family Mass

Virtus is an informative awareness program which will help to ensure safe parishes, schools and communities in the years to come. We are living in a time when all people need to be educated about problems, such as the sexual abuse of children.

Upcoming Sessions

Click here for session information and signup.

Please note: Volunteers need to attend only one Virtus training session, but must be present for the entire session. No one will be admitted after the session has begun, and no children are permitted to be present.

For registration go to: www.virtus.org

St. Agnes Code of Conduct

Clergy, employees and volunteers are required to attend a VIRTUS Child Protection training session and read and sign a code of conduct.

In addition, we are required to have a thorough background check, including a criminal history, completed for each clergy, employee or volunteer. We do this for their protection and for the protection of children and young people, and the parish as a whole.

Our children are the most important gifts God has entrusted to us. As a volunteer, I promise to strictly follow the rules and guidelines in this Employee’s and Volunteer’s Code of Conduct as a condition of my providing services to the children and youth of our parish.

As an employee or volunteer, I will:
  • Treat everyone with respect, loyalty, patience, integrity, courtesy, dignity, and consideration.
  • Avoid situations where I am alone with children and/or youth at Church activities.
  • Use positive reinforcement rather than criticism, competition, or comparison when working with children and/or youth.
  • Refuse to accept expensive gifts from children and/or youth or their parents without prior written approval from the pastor.
  • Refrain from giving expensive gifts to children and/or youth without prior written approval from the parents or guardian
    and the pastor.
  • Report suspected abuse to the pastor, administrator, or appropriate supervisor and the New York State Child Registry
    (1-800-342-3720). I understand that failure to report suspected abuse to civil authorities is, according to the law,
    a misdemeanor.
  • Cooperate fully in any investigation of abuse of children and/or youth.
As an employee or volunteer, I will not:
  • Smoke or use tobacco products in the presence of children and/or youth.
  • Use, possess, or be under the influence of alcohol at any time while volunteering.
  • Use, possess, or be under the influence of illegal drugs at any time.
  • Pose any health risk to children and/or youth (i.e., no fevers or other contagious situations).
  • Strike, spank, shake, or slap children and/or youth.
  • Humiliate, ridicule, threaten, or degrade children and/or youth.
  • Touch a child and/or youth in a sexual or other inappropriate manner.
  • Use any discipline that frightens or humiliates children and/or youth.
  • Use profanity in the presence of children and/or youth.