Thank you so very much for sharing your time and talents with N.E.T. Catholic parishes and our ministries. The instructions below will help you with the training and paperwork required by the Diocese of Rochester for all volunteers. 

Adults and teens who volunteer at Holy Cross, Dryden; St. Anthony, Groton, or All Saints, Lansing. are required to complete the Creating A Safe Environment certification. Teens ages 13-17 complete CASE certification in person every year. Adults are required to renew their certification every three years.
 

1. Complete the on-line training for Creating a Safe Environment and send us a copy of the Completion Certificate. The Volunteer Code of Conduct is included as part of the online training.

2. Send an email to Mary Ann Kozak to mary.ann.kozak@dor.org for Holy Cross Church and Saint Anthony Church, or to Andra Benson to andra.benson@dor.org for All Saints Church to receive a link to the online background check request form and complete it within 5 days.  Alternatively, you may read, complete, sign, and return the paper Background Check Authorization  and copy of your ID (driver’s license, birth certificate, or passport) to the parish office. 

3.  (Volunteer Drivers only) Read, sign, and return the Volunteer Driver Form

 Creating a Safe Environment Training is only available online. If you need help completing the training, or need help using the computer, contact Mary Ann or Andra to set up a time to come into the office to complete the training there.  
 
Bring the above documentation to the parish office  when it is open or mail it to NET Catholic Parishes, 347 Ridge Road, Lansing, NY 14882.
 
Please don’t hesitate to call or email with any questions mary.ann.kozak@dor.org or 607-288-2476 or andra.benson@dor.org



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Bishop Matano's Letter to the Faithful September 2020
 
Bishop Matano's Letter to the Faithful: Sept. 12, 2019

Bishop Matano's Letter to the Faithful August 2019

DoR Safe Environment
Follow this  link https://www.dor.org/safe/ to the many resources in the Protecting Our Children portion of the diocesan website.

VIDEO MESSAGE FROM THE BISHOP: The Diocese of Rochester has produced a new video, which includes a special message from the Bishop concerning the New York State Child Victims Act, and outlining diocesan efforts to create a Safe Environment. Here is the link to the video, https://www.dor.org/letter-to-the-faithful-2019/ 

If you have been a victim of sexual abuse, you should contact the appropriate civil authorities.

To receive help and guidance from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester, please contact Deborah Housel, victim assistance coordinator at (585) 328-3210, ext. 1555 or  (toll-free) 1-800-388-7177, ext. 1555 or by e-mail to victimsassistance@dor.org.

Father Daniel's Open Letter

August 24-September 15, 2018  At N.E.T. Catholic A Special time to stay close to God and in solidarity with the victims and with one another

Bishop Matano's Letter to the People of God

Pope Francis' Letter to the People of God

Update on Safe Environment Efforts in the Diocese of Rochester

Bishop Emeritus Matthew Clark 2004 Open Letter 

List of credibly accused priests in the Diocese of Rochester

Link to PA Grand Jury Report

Statement from the Vatican

Statement from the USCCB

Statement from the New York State Bishops

Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People

2016 Annual Report on the Implementation of the Charter

Catholic Courier article: "Abuse prevention remains ‘highest priority’"

Child and Youth Protection Facts and Figures 

Studies Presented by the John Jay College Research Team

The Causes and Context of Sexual Abuse of Minors by Catholic Priests in the United States, 1950-2010

The Nature and Scope of the Problem of Sexual Abuse of Minors by Catholic Priests and Deacons in the United States

Nature and Scope Study - 2006 Supplementary Report

Child Sexual Abuse: A Review of the Literature, 2004

Newsletter

Creating a Safe Environment Newsletter aims to help all of us learn more about keeping children and vulnerable adults safe at home, at church and in all places in our community. The newsletter is published quarterly and contains articles on a variety of topics. Find the most current issue of the newsletter here: https://www.dor.org/safe-environment/newsletters/ 

General Information 

Each year, we act in accordance with Diocesan mandates for criminal record checks of all catechists and volunteers who have regular contact with children, youth or vulnerable adults. Also, all catechists, leaders and helpers are required to complete a training course called “Creating A Safe Environment” before they begin their ministry. Both the criminal record check and training are good for a three year period before a refresher course and new record check is required.
In an effort to help parents keep their children safe, the Diocese of Rochester offers the following programs for adult volunteers to complete: CREATING A SAFE ENVIRONMENT (CASE). 

We are mandated by the U.S. Bishops to offer these courses and required to complete “Compliance Reports” at the end of each year. To help us reach our goal of 100% compliance, all our adult volunteers are asked to complete this course before beginning their ministry.

Please contact our Parish CASE Coordinator, Mary Ann or Andra with any questions or concerns regarding the CASE process.



More information:

Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People

The Charter for the Protection of Children and Young people is a landmark document drafted and passed unanimously by the bishops of the United States at their June meeting in Dallas in 2002. The document is a response to the sexual abuse crisis in the church and is their "Promise to Protect, Pledge to Heal."

There are four focus areas:
* To promote healing and reconciliation with victim survivors of sexual abuse.
* To guarantee an effective response to allegations of sexual abuse of minors.
* To ensure the accountability of our procedures.
* To protect the faithful in the future.
In order to protect the faithful in the future, Article 12 of the Charter states:

"Dioceses/eparchies will establish 'Safe Environment' programs. They will cooperate with parents, civil authorities, educators, and community organizations to provide education and training for children, youth, parents, ministers, educators, and others about ways to make and maintain a safe environment for children. Dioceses/ eparchies will make clear to clergy and all members of the community the standards of conduct for clergy and other persons in positions of trust with regard to sexual abuse."

This guideline, which mandates that all dioceses create a safe environment for children and young people who pray, study and worship in our schools and churches, is the basis for our diocesan safe environment programs.

In the Diocese of Rochester
Volunteers who work with children, youth or vulnerable adults are required to sign a Diocese of Rochester Volunteer Code of Conduct, complete the Criminal Record Check process and participate in Creating a Safe Environment training. (The Criminal Record Check includes Social Security number verification, Department of Corrections check and Sex Offender registry check for each state in which the volunteer has resided in the last seven years.)

Implementation

Responsibility
* In the Diocese of Rochester the Pastor, Pastoral Administrator, Director of Campus Ministry or Principal is responsible for insuring the training of volunteers in Creating a Safe Environment. They may choose to designate a staff employee or a well-qualified volunteer to coordinate and/or deliver this training.
* Trainers are required to attend one Train the Trainer session. A schedule is attached in the appendix to this policy. Ordinarily, the Catechetical Leader and/or Youth Minister is designated to train all volunteers for parish/faith community programs for which they are responsible. Parishes/faith communities with an extensive network of volunteers affected may choose to designate another staff person to assist the catechetical leader/youth minister in training of volunteers.
* Parishes must maintain a record of the authorization for Criminal Record Check, the signed acknowledgement of receipt of the Code of Conduct and a verification of training for volunteers bound by this policy.

Scope
* Volunteers include those who are listed below.
* Volunteers must sign the Diocesan Volunteer Code of Conduct, undergo a Criminal Record Check, and participate in Creating a Safe Environment training.
* Volunteer drivers also require a New York State DMV check

Volunteers who must sign a Diocese of Rochester Volunteer Code of Conduct, undergo a Criminal Record Check, and be trained in Creating a Safe Environment, include but are not limited to the following:
* All volunteers who serve in a Catholic school program;

* Volunteers in religious education programs;
* Volunteers in parish youth programs;
* Volunteer drivers (these also require a New York State DMV check);
* Overnight trip chaperones;
* NCYC chaperones;
* Children’s liturgy of the Word coordinators and presiders;
* Youth choir directors;
* Trainers of children / youth for liturgical ministries;
* Anyone hosting a school and/or catechetical, youth or parish-affiliated program for children off site;
* Retreat leaders;
* Volunteers who work with school and/or parish sport programs such as Athletic Directors and coaches of sport teams / cheerleading programs;
* Supervisors of youth work/service projects;
* Coordinators of festivals, pageants, plays and events involving children;
* Volunteers who visit the homebound and sick;
* Catechists or youth ministry volunteers in a parish program;
* Catechists/aides who work with special education programs;
* Maintenance, grounds keepers or others who work with youth volunteers;
* Summer Bible school or summer institute volunteers;
* Family Education leaders;
* Adults involved in fundraising or special events that work with children, youth or vulnerable adults such as book fairs, cooking crews etc.;
* Volunteers who work with vulnerable adults in nursing homes and group homes.
* Volunteers who run Sunday day care during Mass.