Safe Environment

All children, young people, and vulnerable adults have the right to be safe and protected from harm in all environments. St. Mary's Church follows all policies set forth by the Diocese of Syracuse that embraces this right and promotes that protection by taking steps to create safe environments to prevent the sexual abuse of children, young people, and vulnerable adults. We will continue to take steps to create safe environments through continued education, building awareness, and maintaining a commitment to keeping all children, young people, and vulnerable adults safe.

To learn more about the Diocese of Syracuse Safe Environment program, please visit their website.

Safe Environment Training

All diocesan, parish, and school employees and volunteers working with children, young people, or vulnerable adults must attend initial safe environment training, and subsequent re-certification every 5 years. On regular occasion, St. Mary's hosts sessions of each training for convenience of staff and parishioners. Check the registration schedule to find a time and location that is convenient for you. If you have any questions, contact Amy Casper, Safe Environment Coordinator for St. Mary's.

Initial Training

"Protecting God's Children (PGC)"

Pre-registration is required. A schedule of classes may be found here.

Who must train?

All clergy
All members of religious orders
All parish and diocesan employees, including those who have no contact with children
All volunteers whose ministry or role places them in regular contact with children, young people, or vulnerable adults

Completion of a first-time Safe Environment PGC training session is required within 60 days of assumption of duties, employment, or volunteering per diocesan policy. To complete the screening, participants must pass a criminal background check.

Re-certification Training

"Entrusted to Protect, Dedicated to Restore"

Pre-registration is required. A schedule of classes may be found here.

The diocesan Child and Youth Protection Policy requires Safe Environment re-certification training (1.5 hour session) every five (5) years for:

All clergy
All members of religious orders
All parish and diocesan employees, including those who have no contact with children
All volunteers whose ministry or role places them in regular contact with children, young people, or vulnerable adults

In addition to the re-certification session, all participants must pass a new criminal background check in order to complete their Safe Environment re-certification screening.

Training for Children & Youth

Circles of Care is a new educational program tailored to our parish catechetical programs. This curriculum originally developed by the Diocese of Manchester has been adapted by the Diocese of Syracuse to address age-appropriate personal safety issues for children and youth in the context of Catholic moral teaching.

The training replaces the awareness training that the diocese had been using since 2004.

Click here to review.

See more information about the Circle of Care program from the Office of Faith Formation.