Safeguard the Children Committee at Work

Hello Friends,
September is upon us, and children will soon be returning to our parish campus for faith formation and the children’s choir. It is a joy to see theparish come alive with the sounds and sights of children and young people on the campus. The return of the children’s programs is an opportunity to highlight our Safeguard the Children committee and the focus the Safeguard program brings to ensuring the safety of children at the parish.

Our children’s programs are only possible because of the many volunteers who participate. Thank you to all volunteers who have submitted their Safeguard the Children Acknowledgement forms and VIRTUS Certificates. You are ready to volunteer and help introduce Christ and our Catholic Faith to our young parishioners.

If you are a first-time volunteer, a Padre Serra staff member will guide you through the Safeguard the Children volunteer onboarding process. The process consists of a required background check and VIRTUS training. These are the best practices, as determined by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, and are a requirement for all volunteers in the archdiocese.
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Our Padre Serra Parish Safeguard the Children Committee is responsible for meeting and reviewing the implementation of Safeguard the Children best practices. The committee walks the campus to ensure it meets the Safeguard objectives. Additionally, Fr. Patrick and I will meet to prepare an annual report, which Fr. Patrick will sign and submit to the archdiocese to demonstrate our compliance. The Safeguard Committee and the best practices we follow are focused on ensuring a safe environment for our children and young people. 

Safeguard the Children committee members will be at the ministry fair on Sunday, September 21, after all Masses. Please stop by, say hello, and learn more about the Safeguard Program. Consider joining the Safeguard Committee. We are especially looking for parents of children in our programs. If we miss you at the ministry fair and you are interested in joining our committee, please contact me at the parish office.

Siempre Adelante!

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Manuel Leon
Business Manager 

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