MINNESOTA
Albert Lea Tribune
By Sam Wilmes
A local catholic church is protecting its children from abuse.
VIRTUS — a program that has been in place at St. Theodore Catholic Church and school for five years — is a mandatory diocesan program for each church employee and volunteer, and raises awareness of the issues that are caused by child abuse, such as the harm it causes to its victims, the parish and the community, according to the church and school leaders.
An awareness session — led by a trained facilitator — helps adults learn to recognize the warning signs of abuse and shows them the appropriate way to respond to suspicious behavior.
St. Theodore church and school have taken steps to ensure children are safe, such as ensuring that rooms that are not in use are locked.
All church employees and volunteers must pass a background check.
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