VIRTUS is derived from Latin and means "valor", "moral strength", "excellence", and "worth". The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops adopted a policy that was revised in the 2005 document entitled " Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People". Following that Charter, the Bishops across the US have been implementing Virtus (or a similar program) for all persons in contact with children in any way. Virtus was created in 1998 with the goal to prevent children and vulnerable adults from becoming victims of sexual abuse, both inside and outside a religious environment. The program is meant to help people become aware of abuse, learn how to recognize the signs, and realize the need to overcome the natural reluctance of most adults to report suspected abuse. Many dioceses are now requiring all volunteers in parishes to experience the training and fulfill all the requirements so that as many parishioners as possible are trained in observing and protecting God's children.
The steps to complete Virtus training include:

1. Participating in a "Protecting God's Children" training session (approx. 2.5 hours)
2. Completing the volunteer application form and agreeing to a background check by the diocese
3. Reading & signing the diocesan "Policies & Procedures for Addressing Sexual Misconduct"
4. Reading monthly training bulletins online or requesting that they be mailed to you

To sign up to take the Virtus class, please look at the schedule of dates to see when a class will be available either at St. Jude's or at another parish near you. If you have any other questions, please feel free to email the office, stjudeapostle@gmail.com  .