Mater Dei Catholic Parish

A parish of the Catholic Diocese of Dallas, served by the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter

Safe Environment

As Christian adults, we have a moral and legal responsibility and are entrusted by God with the spiritual, emotional, and physical well-being of minors and vulnerable adults as they participate in activities within or sponsored by our Diocese. It is our responsibility and commitment to provide an environment which is safe and nurturing.

In order to achieve the above, the diocese has a Safe Environment Program that implements training, screening, background checks, and other procedures that are designed to reduce the risk of sexual abuse of children and vulnerable adults. Every parish, school, and Diocesan agency has the program, and each is responsible for program implementation and continuation.

For more information please contact the parish Safe Environment officer, Andrew Walters, at safe@materdeiparish.com.

How to Report Abuse

If you believe that you, or someone you know, is a victim of past or present abuse or sexual abuse, please notify law enforcement.  In the event the abuse involves a minor, please also contact the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services through the Texas Abuse Hotline at 1-800-252-5400 or www.txabusehotline.org).  Finally, if the abuse involves a member of the clergy, a parish employee, or diocesan employee, please also notify the Diocese of Dallas Victims Assistance Coordinator, Barbara Landregan, at 214-379-2812 or blandregan@cathdal.org

Diocese of Dallas Safe Environment Program and Policies Documents

Safe Environment Program

The Safe Environment Program is an important aspect of our Parish service to the community. It is a Diocese-mandated program that requires that each volunteer be cleared through a standardized process of background checks.

New Volunteers

To become a “cleared” volunteer within Mater Dei Parish, adults must meet each of the following requirements:

  1. Complete the Safe Environment Screening Form located at the Diocese of Dallas On-line Screening Form Program. Using these secure online forms sends your information directly to the Safe Environment office. Please be sure to provide the three references requested within the Screening Form.
  2. Read and sign the Diocese of Dallas Safe Environment Manual document.
  3. Read the Diocese of Dallas Sexual Misconduct Policy document.
  4. Attend a Family of Faith awareness training session. Find classes and register through the Diocese of Dallas Training Schedule Classes Page. If you attend a “Family of Faith” session at a parish or school other than Mater Dei, it is imperative that you register for the class online, make sure to sign the attendance log upon arrival, and receive a copy of your certification as proof of attendance to this class for your parish Safe Environment officer, Andrew Walters.
  5. Schedule a personal interview with Andrew Walters at safe@materdeiparish.com.

Please note that is takes approximately three to four weeks to complete this process once training has been completed.

Previously Cleared Volunteers

Once a person has been screened and cleared for service, in order to retain active status, the person must update their training annually. If the volunteer fails to meet this requirement, he or she will become immediately ineligible to continue to serve. If a volunteer wishes to reinstate their eligibility, once it has expired, they will be required to update their training.

You have many options when renewing your certification, including:

Once the class has been completed, either in person or online, forward all information showing the completion of the class to the parish Safe Environment officer, Andrew Walters at safe@materdeiparish.com.

 

X
X
X