Child Abuse Prevention Month


Our St. Louise community is committed to creating and maintaining a safe environment for all children on our grounds. Our Safeguard the Children Committee was formed in 2004, the year the U.S. Catholic Bishops mandated that every parish take steps to ensure a safe environment for our children and young people.

Ongoing:

  • Fingerprinting and Virtus training with ongoing education and recertification for all paid employees and those volunteers who supervise children.
  • Educational resources, including a weekly parish bulletin article entitled “Did You Know?” with tips for keeping children safe.
  • Security cameras in key locations.
  • Safety measures throughout the facilities and grounds including parking lot barricades; windows in doors of offices, classrooms, meeting rooms, and confessional doors; playground safety surface replacement and equipment repair.
  • Continued review and implementation of: emergency supplies; mock-in-house audits; emergency lockdown and safety procedures throughout the school, meeting rooms, church, and grounds; bathroom safety; school allergy awareness and policies.
  • Vestibule renovation of 2017 included these safety features: ADA compliant bathrooms, entrance areas around bathrooms are more visible, and a solid clear choir loft balcony railing of safe height.

New this past year:

  • Empowering God’s Children, the new archdiocesan children’s safety program for both school and Faith Formation students was implemented following staff training.
  • In response to the scandals reported in the summer of 2018, Archbishop Gomez shared a letter with all parishes; Father Robert spoke at all St. Louise Masses regarding this.
  • In September St. Louise held a special service in reparation for clerical abuse; included were reflections and prayers, Mass, and the rosary.
  • Prayer for abuse victims (on a laminated card in all pews) is prayed at the conclusion of each Mass, every Sunday and weekday

Every child should be loved, cherished, listened to, encouraged, praised, valued, and… protected. We remain committed to these ideals. Please stop by our table on April 14th! Thank you!

~Your Safeguard the Children Committee and the St. Louise de MarillacCommunity.