The Mission of the Office for the Protection of Children and Youth:
We are committed to protecting children, youth and vulnerable adults in all parishes, Catholic schools, and other Church ministries.
The mission of the Office for the Protection of Children and Youth (OPCY) of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis is to work with our community to help prevent the abuse of children, youth and vulnerable adults. We partner with parents, parish and Catholic school leaders and others to provide safe environments through raising awareness about the societal problem of sexual abuse, offering effective personal safety education and enforcing screening requirements.The focus of the work of OPCY is prevention:
- Clergy/Staff/Volunteer Requirements – Background checks, VIRTUS safe environment training and codes of conduct for clergy, employees, teachers, volunteers and other adults who interact with minors; and
- Educating Children and Youth – Age-appropriate, Archdiocesan-approved personal safety instruction for minors in Catholic schools, faith formation and youth ministry programs.
OPCY supports the implementation of The Charter and all policies of the archdiocese related to the protection of minors and vulnerable adults by:
- Communicating and training on policies, procedures and best practices
- Supporting staff in parishes, Catholic schools and other Catholic ministries as they implement safe environment policies and procedures
- Ensuring the best available personal safety education programs are made available for adults, as well as children and youth
- Monitoring compliance at all parishes and Catholic schools through annual audit reporting and parish and school visits
Questions or Concerns about Safe Environment Policies at a Parish or Catholic School?
Contact the parish or school, or contact us via email or call 651-291-4514.
Concerns about the Safety of Minors or Vulnerable Adults at a Parish or Catholic School?
If you suspect abuse, your first call should be to law enforcement or child protection officials where the suspected abuse occurred. If a minor or vulnerable adult is in imminent danger, call 911.
See the Denunciar abuso page for more details.
