Dear Parishioners of Holy Trinity,

In an effort to protect and nurture our children and youth, and protect vulnerable persons, we have implemented a program, under the direction of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, to insure the future safety and well being of all. The program is know as “STAND” and requires that all those who serve the people of God in the Church of Baltimore as volunteers participate in an application and/or a screening process. The following is an excerpt from Archbishop William Cardinal Keeler’s letter:

“As an Archdiocese, we are committed to providing a safe environment for all people, particularly our children and youth. Children and youth are vulnerable, and in an effort to provide for their safety, we are undertaking a significant effort. We have enacted a policy that requires all volunteers to complete an Application for Volunteer Service including receiving and reviewing the Statement of Policy for the Protection of Children and Youth and the Code of Conduct for Church Personnel in the Archdiocese of Baltimore.

We, like other youth serving agencies, have moved to a process of screening volunteers who have substantial contact with children and youth. The Boy Scouts of America, the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, and Little League Baseball have all found screening to be a valuable tool in meeting the goal of providing a safe environment. While some may have difficulty understanding why this is a necessary intrusion, most parents are grateful to know that we are doing our best to provide a safe environment. Those of you who are expected to have substantial contact with children are required to complete an Application of Volunteer Service, provide three references, complete a Volunteer Criminal History Screening Consent Form and attend training regarding child abuse and the protection of children, including viewing the STAND video.”

William Cardinal Keeler
Archbishop of Baltimore

All volunteers are required to fill out an Application for Volunteer Service, but only those with substantial contact with children need to fill out the Volunteer Criminal History Screening Consent Form and to attend one of the STAND video sessions. Volunteers who provide transportation need to fill out the Driving Record Check Consent Form.

The Holy Trinity Parish Community, in order to comply with the new policies of the Archdiocese for the protection of our children and youth, has scheduled training sessions for the video STAND to be held in the Parish Center Chapel:

2008
February:
March:
April:
May: 24, Saturday at 9AM
June: cancelled
July: 11, Friday at 2PM
August: TBA
September: 19, Friday at 2PM
October: 24, Friday at 2PM
November: 14, Friday at 2PM
December: TBA

Please call the Parish Center at 410-766-5070 ext. 10 to register.
On behalf of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, I would like to thank you for your patience and understanding as we work together to build a community of faith and worship in which all will find a safe and nourishing environment and may grow in the love of God and one another.

Blessings,
Sue Love
Screening Coordinator