The Archdiocese of Boston is fully committed to preventing the sexual exploitation of minors, and to identifying any instance in which it does occur. To this end, the Bishops’ Charter for the Protection of Children & Young People mandates that all ministers, employees, and volunteers undergo training in the detection, prevention, and reporting of child abuse. This is done to ensure that the children and youth who attend parish and Archdiocesan programs are supervised by a staff that is fully trained to protect them from child abuse.

All employees and volunteers, aged 18 years and older, who work with children, youth, or the elderly in the Archdiocese of Boston are required to participate in the Virtus, Protecting God’s Children program. This one-time workshop aims to educate parish adults in recognizing the signs and symptoms that indicate a child is being abused or exploited in some way, offer protective practices with a specific plan to prevent child sexual abuse, and instruct on reporting incidents of abuse.