BY JANICE HENDRICKS, OFFICE OF SAFE ENVIRONMENT

Following the protocols set forth by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops plays a huge role in keeping our children safe within our schools and parishes. Volunteers, priests, parish and catechetical leaders, teachers, and other leaders being willing to come on board and complete training and background checks, and to follow the Safe Environment polices set forth, plays an important part in making this happen.

We have completed over 6,000 background checks since beginning the CMG Connect program, and over 9,300 training programs have been completed.

We currently have 5,888 volunteers, employees, priests, deacons, sisters and others active in the Diocese of Owensboro.

This past year, we trained over 5,000 children across the diocese using the Circle of Grace program in our school and parish religious education programs.

We are currently able to train in English and Spanish, and now, due to our thriving population of Burmese faithful, have begun working on training programs with translators in the dialects of Myanmar as well.

Ensuring that the people from outside our diocese who interact with those within our care are following the same types of protocols we are, keeps our parishes and schools safe.

Well over 100 priests, religious sisters, and lay speakers have visited our diocese, sending in the required Letters of Testimonial prior to their visits to help celebrate Masses, weddings, funerals, hear confessions, cover our priests when on vacations, and help with our youth events and various retreats and weekends.  Those testimonials sent to Bishop Medley and tracked through the Safe Environment office assure us that these folks are Safe Environment-compliant.

This affirms that we are all following the protocols set forth to keep our schools and parishes safe.

Janice Hendricks is the coordinator of the Office of Safe Environment in the Diocese of Owensboro.

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Originally printed in the June 2024 issue of The Western Kentucky Catholic.