Brothers, below is the feedback from Patti Kamper from an email I sent to her and Fr. Jim regarding our Worthy DD John comments at our last council business meeting. Please read below, this directive from the KofC Office of Youth Protection applies to every St. Ann’s and St. Mary’s member in our council. I will be sending Patti a list of our council membership for her to review and provide updates on council member that has completed the Richmond Diocesans VIRTUS training. Current members that I am aware of that have VIRTUS training are: David Krause, Mario Dalla Valle, Michael Fust, Joe Beningo and Kennedy Weber. I am not sure of a deadline for this training. Patti will work with us to provide a few dates that our members can attend council training opportunities.
Brothers, this is a directive from our Supreme Council and the Richmond Diocese for the protection of our youth. Please treat this as urgent. Patti has provided a link below if you want to attend scheduled Richmond Diocese VIRTUS training dates individually. I will follow up with Fr. Jim, Fr. Jonathan, DD John and Patti on any timeline or deadline for completion of the VIRTUS training for our members to participate in activities that potentially involve our youth.
Just a few examples of the needed training to participate in events that involve youth: Trunk or Treat, Taste of St. Ann’s, Vacation Bible School, Woodworking sales, church picnics at both parishes in which we participate, Train Day, monthly meetings that are scheduled the same time as Girl Scout meetings at St. Ann’s, work at Millie’s Home, Ronald McDonald House dinner prep. These are several examples, but really this directive can apply to just about every work/event we participate as a council member.
I will bring this requirement up at our business meeting on Monday at St. Ann’s. We can all discuss then. I will check with Patti to see if she is available to speak with our council on Monday. This will be a very short notice for her time, so we should all understand if she can not attend.
God bless and Vivat Jesus,
Kennedy
Hi Kennedy,
I was correct in what I stated to you in my last email. Any KofC who attend meetings or engage in various on and off-site activities where minors could be present need to follow the diocesan safe environment rules:
*
Attend a one-time 3-hour virtual or in-person VIRTUS: Protecting God’s Children training. They can register here: https://richmonddiocese.org/registering-for-an-upcoming-virtus-training-program/
*
As part of the registration process they will need to confirm that they have read all of the diocesan policies regarding the safety of children.
*
Code of Ethical Conduct
*
Digital Communications and Media Policy
*
Safe-Environment Regulations (from Summer 2024)
*
The link to all of these documents: https://richmonddiocese.org/diocesan-policies/
*
Complete an online ScreeningOne background check
*
Attend the VIRTUS training.
Continued compliance:
*
IF they have already completed VIRTUS, continued compliance requires a one-hour online VIRTUS renewal module every 5-years.
*
Background checks are renewed annually.
*
They can login to their www.virtusonline.org<http://www.virtusonline.org> account to update any necessary documents or view the renewal module.
If you give me the names of the KOC, I can confirm their status on the VIRTUS portal. I can then give you a report to follow-up with those who are non-compliant.
Patti Kamper
Minister of Christian Formation/Pastoral Associate
St. Ann’s Catholic Church