In the wake of the sexual abuse crisis in the Church, we at St. Isidore have assured our parishioners that we will do everything we can to make this a safe environment for our children. For example, we have continued to do background checks for all employees and volunteers who work with children and vulnerable adults. We have required that they attend the “Protecting God’s Children” sessions offered by the archdiocese, and we continue the “Circle of Grace” program with our students.
As an additional precaution, a couple of years ago we began securing the area of the church in which we hold our Faith Formation classes. These classes are held in the back section of the social hall. The classrooms are formed by sliding walls. We now lock all of the doors which enter into the social hall during Faith Formation sessions, including the doors from the Gathering Space and the Kitchen. Anyone who may want to enter that space during Faith Formation sessions must report to the parish office, sign in, and be given a visitor’s pass. This is the same procedure used in schools. It is a necessary precaution. We ask all groups who use the social hall and the kitchen for various reasons to abide by this policy. If possible, please try to avoid using the area during Faith Formation classes, usually 4:00 PM to 8:30 PM Monday through Wednesday. When this is not possible, please abide by our policy and report to the Parish office to sign in, get a badge, and be admitted to the area. Please understand that this is a necessary policy if we are to do all that we can to protect our children.
Blessings,
Fr. Ron