News From the Safe Environment Office

October Is Safe Environment Month In The Diocese Of Amarillo
By Deacon Blaine Westlake, Safe Environment Office, Diocese of Amarillo

Bishop Patrick J. Zurek has declared October as Safe Environment Month.
“The Diocese of Amarillo is committed to ensure that everyone, especially our children, have the right to be safe, secure and protected from harm, whether sexually, physically, emotionally and/or spiritually, in any and all of our religious institutions.”

As we have all experienced since March 2020 the threat of COVID-19 and the resultant variants has been and continues to be most challenging for families, schools, hospitals, businesses and religious institutions. What is evident is that we all must rely upon our Faith in Christ Jesus to carry us through this pandemic.

Unfortunately, no one knows when this threat will lessen, when we can get back to the so-called new normal, only time will tell. Even though the threat of the pandemic currently looms over us, as Church, we must continue to celebrate Mass, receive the Blessed Sacraments, to pray for and to minister to one another and to continue Christian Education of our children by whatever means the Church and parents can do so successfully. Failure to train our children in the Catholic Faith, sadly leaves them unaware of its many blessings and vulnerable to much misinformation about our Faith.

The Christian Education Year of 2021-2022 has begun and during the month of October, all Parishes and Catholic Schools must offer Safe Environment Training to every child and youth (all minors under 18 years of age) who attends classes in Catholic Schools, Religious Education Programs and/or children and youth-oriented activities. Parents are encouraged to attend those classes.

Circle of Grace© curriculum is interactive between the catechist and students teaching children and minors how to recognize and respond to relationships that are “not right.” Each program has an English and Spanish Language component. Age and grade level appropriate materials, handouts, instructions, dialogue, etc., are available to all teachers, catechists and those who train children and youth.

Due to the pandemic many parishes will have to be very creative how they conduct CCD, Sacramental and Circle of Grace Safe Environment classes.

Bishop Zurek wishes to offer a special thanks to all Pastors, Principals, Christian Formation Directors/Coordinators, Youth Directors, Safe Environment Coordinators, Trainers, Teachers, Volunteers and Parents who worked so hard and continue to do so, year after year, to keep our parishes, schools and Catholic institutions a safe place for everyone, and most especially for our children as we continue to adapt and adjust to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Deacon Blaine Westlake is Director of Safe Environment for the Diocese of Amarillo. He can be reached at 806-383-2243, ext. 117, or via email, [email protected].

Diocese in Full Compliance, New Adult Training Facilitators
By Deacon Blaine Westlake, Safe Environment Office, Diocese of Amarillo

Amarillo—On Aug. 18, Bishop Patrick J. Zurek announced that the Diocese of Amarillo is in full compliance with the U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishop’s Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.

In a letter dated Aug. 17 to Bishop Zurek from Stonebridge Business Partners, it stated that the “Amarillo Diocese was found to be in compliance” with the three-year Charter audit period of July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2021.

As a result of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, the diocese undergoes an on-site audit every three years and annually undergoes a document/paper audit. The Diocese of Amarillo has always been open to these audits since they were first initiated in 2002 and as such have always been found to be in “full compliance.”

Stonebridge is an independent auditing firm commissioned by the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops to oversee the implementation of the Charter and to ensure compliance with its mandates.

Bishop Zurek offers a special thanks to all Pastors, Principals, Christian Formation Directors/Coordinators, Youth Directors, Safe Environment Coordinators, Trainers, Teachers, Volunteers and Parents who worked so hard and continue to do so, even under these most difficult COVID circumstances, keeping our parishes, schools and Catholic institutions a safe place for everyone, and most especially for our children.

We have been challenged not only by COVID-19 and its many protocols, but the diocese initiated the Circle of Grace© program for children and young people in the Fall of 2018 and the VIRTUS Adult Safe Environment Program in July 2020 in the middle of the pandemic. Of course, this reflects positively on the Diocese of Amarillo showing its’ commitment to ensure a safe environment for everyone entering Church facilities.

The Safe Environment Office requests that everyone please bear with us as we continue to enhance and improve the Safe Environment Program throughout the diocese. We are aware that requiring all adult volunteers, employees, teachers, clerics and those who have some ministry with a child or young person, are to utilize the computerized VIRTUS registration process initially making registration a little more complicated. Our promise is that as time passes this process will be easier and more effective for all.

Thank you!

For further information regarding Safe Environment, please visit the diocesan website, amarillodiocese.org., under the Safe Environment tab.

Deacon Blaine Westlake is Director of Safe Environment for the Diocese of Amarillo. He can be reached at 806-383-2243, ext. 117, or via email, [email protected].