Protecting God’s Children

Our Solemn Promise

The Parish of Holy Trinity is committed to the protection of our young people.  Our parish follows all of the required protocol of the Dallas Charter for the Protection of Young People.  Our clergy and staff are fully vested in safe environment training for all of our volunteers and any who come in contact with youth.  We are a safe place to raise your children and we are committed to maintaining the trust of our parishioners of every age.

Safe Environment Protections

Following the requirements of the Dallas Charter and the Catholic Diocese of Richmond, the children and youth of our parish are honored and protected.  Adults all complete safe environment training, including regular updates through the Virtus program.  They are also background checked by the Commonwealth and the Federal registries available to us.  References for every adult are checked as well as an interview process by trained staff.  Every ministry with and for youth will always have more than one trained, screened adult present.  No child or children will ever be alone with an adult while on parish property or involved in parish ministry.  Every child will be taught that they can tell the truth, and open communication with parents is always our normative behavior.  All of our programs are open to parents when their children are present.  Our facilities are regularly audited for security to be sure that only those adults who are a part of our ministry and community have access.

We Are Listening

The clergy and parish staff of Holy Trinity are open to hearing your concerns, at any time, regarding the safety of our children.  As a parent, you are the first educator in the ways of faith, and we see our ministry as a way of assisting you in that role.  If you have any concerns regarding the safety of your children, you should never hesitate to contact the ministry staff or volunteer conducting the program, or the pastor quickly and clearly.  Open communication directly with the parish is the best way to know that your concerns are addressed.

Full Transparency, Complete Reporting

If you know of a child or young adult under the age of 18 who has suffered any form of abuse while under the care of a Catholic ministry or entity in the Diocese of Richmond, including our parish, we encourage and ask that you make full reporting available as soon as possible.  Notifying the civil authorities, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the Catholic Diocese of Richmond ensures that we can immediately cooperate with law enforcement and be sure that children are protected immediately.  Whenever possible, you should also contact the pastor of your parish to let him know so that he can provide pastoral care and provide for the protection of other children as quickly as possible.

Bishop Knestout encourages anyone aware of sexual abuse of minors on the part of clergy or staff of our diocese to notify civil authorities, call the Attorney General’s Clergy Abuse Hotline at 1-833-454-9064, and reach out to the Diocesan Victim Assistance Coordinator, Jennifer Sloan at 1-877-887-9603.

Additional Resources

For additional resources, please see a comprehensive list available from the Catholic Diocese of Richmond.