Safe Environment Training
New volunteers are required to complete the Archdiocesan safe environment certification requirements before they can serve in any capacity.
The policy may be viewed here -
Archdiocese of Detroit Safe Environment Policy
Volunteers must register with Virtus to sign-up, and complete the necessary training modules. Please follow these instructions specific to the AOD. The parish office is available to help you any step of the way!
Volunteers must also submit a background check authorization form to the parish office.
We look forward to hearing from you, and thank you for your interest!
Important Safe Environment Requirement Updates
The Archdiocesan Office of Child and Youth Protection has advised us of some important changes to the process for submitting background check authorization forms.
Per safe environment policy, volunteers are required to submit to a background check every two years. The authorization form will now be completed online through your VIRTUS account.
For uniformity and consistency, beginning Friday, August 29, VIRTUS will include an integrated background check authorization form. Currently, our Local VIRTUS Coordinator in the parish office works diligently to collect background check authorization forms on an annual basis as part of ensure that our parish is following the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. This change will be able to help our coordinator to work more efficiently and keep your information secure.
The background check authorization form will collect the same information as our current paper form: birth date, gender, race, and whether you have resided in the State of Michigan for the last seven years. As part of the transition to an online form, you will only need to sign the form one time, not every year for employees (or two years for volunteers).
Beginning on August 29, volunteers will receive an email from VIRTUS asking you to complete and digitally sign the background check authorization form.
If you have any questions regarding logging into your Virtus account, please contact your local Virtus coordinator, Heather Klindt, by calling the parish office or emailing heatherk@stldm.org.
If you have any questions regarding this change, please contact the Archdiocese of Detroit’s Safe Environments Manager, Maegan Pierson at pierson.maegan@aod.org.
Your prompt attention and response is greatly appreciated!
Why Volunteer?
Catholics volunteer to embody Christ's teachings of service and charity, fulfilling their faith by helping others and contributing to the well-being of their communities and the Church. The purpose of Christian life is to serve God, and the Church teaches that through serving others we serve God. Volunteering is a powerful way to Unleash the Gospel and put our faith into action.
Pope Benedict XVI says that through volunteering “we also become visible instruments of his love in a world that still profoundly yearns for that love amid the poverty, loneliness, marginalization and ignorance that we see all around us.”