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Training and Education

Creating and maintaining a safe environment for everyone, particularly children and vulnerable adults, means continuous training and education for each member in the Body of Christ. This page outlines what we do for each of our populations and includes links for parish resources.

The majority of our training takes place online through CMG Connect. Parish staff and volunteers, clergy, and seminarians are required to have an account to complete the training. Click here to login, and please contact the office you need assistance with accessing your account: safeenv@rcda.org

Children & Adolescents

Parish faith formation and Catholic school curriculums include the implementation of Circle of Grace. Created in the Archdiocese of Omaha, Circle of Grace is now mandated as the sole diocesan Safe Environment education curriculum for children and adolescents in both parish faith formation programs and Catholic schools. From the Archdiocese of Omaha:

Curriculum & Program Overview

  • God’s presence and assistance in difficult and confusing situations as an essential component in its K-12 curriculum
  • A philosophy that can be used throughout the year as a concept that reinforces God’s real presence in our lives, respect and skills of how to make good choices
  • The sacredness of each person and how relationships are called to be experiences of divine love
  • Beyond the “safe-touch” models by addressing the whole person thus is able to teach how boundary violations can occur through all of our senses
  • A holistic approach giving children and youth the skills to identify uncomfortable situations long before inappropriate touch occurs
  • Children and youth to identify the “trusted adults” in their lives in addition to their parents
  • Parents by informative letters, lesson handouts and education material

Parish and School Implementation

Parishes and Catholic schools incorporate the Circle of Grace lessons plans into the curriculum.

Please contact Erin Muir at the Office of Lay Ministry & Parish Faith Formation with questions about implementation in parish faith formation programs: erin.muir@rcda.org, (518) 453-6670.

Please contact Terri McGraw with questions about implementation in Catholic schools: terri.mcgraw@rcda.org, (518) 453-6602.

You may also contact the individual parish or school for additional information.

Parish Resources

The Circle of Grace materials are accessible on the portal:

 

Parish Staff & Volunteers

Prior to employment or commencing volunteer work that involves interaction with minors, the following must be completed:

  • Background Check
  • Signing of:
    • Policy on Responding to Allegations of Abuse, and Creating and Maintaining Safe Environments for Children and Young People
    • Code of Conduct for Church Personnel
    • Social Media Use Policy
    • Technology Policy
    • Including annual sexual harassment training
    • For assistance with CMG Connect, call (518) 453-6635

Clergy

  • Background Check
  • Signing of:
    • Policy on Responding to Allegations of Abuse, and Creating and Maintaining Safe Environments for Children and Young People
    • Code of Conduct for Clergy
    • Social Media Use Policy
    • Technology Policy
    • Including annual sexual harassment training
    • For assistance with CMG Connect, call (518) 453-6635

Seminarians

  • Psychological evaluation
  • Background Check
  • Signing of:
    • Policy on Responding to Allegations of Abuse, and Creating and Maintaining Safe Environments for Children and Young People
    • Code of Conduct for Church Personnel
    • Social Media Use Policy
    • Technology Policy
    • Including annual sexual harassment training
  • For assistance with CMG Connect, call (518) 453-6635

Temporarily Assigned & Visiting International Priests

  • Signing of:
    • Code of Conduct for Clergy
    • Social Media Use Policy
    • Technology Policy
  • Background check required if their place of origin or order does not use Praesidium for background screening.
    • Including annual sexual harassment training
  • For assistance with CMG Connect, call (518) 453-6635