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PROTECTION OF CHILDREN & YOUTH
INITIATIVE |
Frequently Asked Questions:
Who is required to attend the VIRTUS Sessions?
* All priests, deacons, school and parish employees as well as all volunteers who work with children must attend a VIRTUS session.
Are substitute teachers required to attend a VIRTUS session?
If they have regular or on-going unsupervised contact with children, absolutely.
How do I know when and where sessions are available?
Click on "Sessions Available" in the left-hand sidebar of this webpage.
How do I register to attend a session?
* Go to www.virtus.org
* Click on the "Registration" link in the left-hand column.
* Select "Saint Paul and Minneapolis (Archdiocese)" from the drop-down
box.
* Participants will create their own "User ID" and "Password".
* Follow the screen prompts to continue the on-line registration.
How do I register if I do not have internet access?
If you do NOT have internet access, you may have someone else register you on-line. Registration requires personal - not confidential - information. You may request a paper registration form from the facilitator at the VIRTUS session you attend and give the completed form to the VIRTUS facilitator so that you may be registered.
My colleagues have received an email confirmation from VIRTUS that their registration has been accepted, but I have not received a confirmation. Why?
Because of the number of emails sent daily by VIRTUS, your computer may detect them as a "spammer". Therefore your computer is blocking all emails from VIRTUS.
How do I know that I am registered for the session I selected?
You may go to the VIRTUS site and login with your USER ID and PASSWORD. If you are not registered, you will receive the error message "Unknown User" above the now blank USER ID and PASSWORD fields.
How do I know if a session has been cancelled due to bad weather?
If parish events or schools are closed where the VIRTUS session will be taking place, the session will be cancelled. If you are not sure of the session's status, please call 651-251-7742. You will hear a recorded message regarding session closings.
How do I change any of my contact information, i.e., phone or email?
Individuals can update their own account by going to the VIRTUS site, logging in, and clicking on "Update My Account".
Now that I have attend a VIRTUS session, what further training is required?
As of April 1, 2008, there was a change regarding those required to complete online training bulletins at www.virtus.org. Those now required to continue completing these monthly online training bulletins are:
- Priests in active ministry
- VIRTUS Facilitators
- Local Coordinators of the VIRTUS program
School teachers and other employees who do not fall under one of the categories named above will no longer be required to complete the monthly online bulletins.
As in the past, volunteers will not be required to complete online training bulletins. The exception to this would be those volunteers who are directors or coordinators in religious education programs (i.e. special education, sacramental, elementary, etc.) as well as volunteers who are Local Coordinators of the VIRTUS Program.
We continue to invite anyone interested in learning more about creating a safe environment for our children to visit www.virtus.org to view the weekly featured articles there.
If you have any questions regarding the above information or the Protection of Children and Youth Initiative in general, please do not hesitate to contact the office at 651-251-7742 or pcyi@archspm.org.
When do I receive notice that my training bulletin is available?
Normally, you would receive an email from VIRTUS that there is a new training bulletin available on-line. However, your computer may block VIRTUS emails because they appear to be a "spammer" or because of the bulletin content ("sexual"; "children", etc.). It is recommended that you go to the VIRTUS site at www.virtus.org each month, enter your USER ID and PASSWORD and login; click on "MY TRAINING" tab; click on "Training Bulletins". You will read each bulletin, submit your answer to the question that follows the article, and you'll receive credit for that month's bulletin.
How do I receive my on-line training bulletins if I do not have email access?
You do NOT need to have an email address to access the on-line training bulletins. It is recommended that you go to the VIRTUS site at www.virtus.org each month; enter your USER ID and PASSWORD and login; click on "MY TRAINING" tab; click on "Training Bulletins". You will read each bulletin, submit your answer to the question that follows the article, and you'll receive credit for that month's bulletin.
I've attended a VIRTUS session in another diocese, do I need to attend another session in this Archdiocese?
No. However, you will need to let us know where and when you attended the VIRTUS session. We will then contact VIRTUS and ask that your account be transferred from that diocese to this archdiocese.
Where do I go if I have any additional questions or concerns?
If you have any questions or concerns
regarding the Protection of
Children and Youth Initiative that are not addressed above, please
contact our office at 651-251-7742 or email pcyi@archspm.org.