Archdiocese of Los Angeles Ideas and Resources Child Abuse Prevention Month April, 2014

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1 Archdiocese of Los Angeles Ideas and Resources Child Abuse Prevention Month April, 2014 Ideas and Resources (Page 1) Petitions for Child Abuse Prevention Month (Page 2) Order Forms: o 2014 Working Together to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse Brochures (Page 3) o Prayer Cards (Page 4) o Keep Kids Safe Stickers (Page 4) o Promise to Protect Posters (Page 5) o Five Body Safety Rule Posters (Page 5) Rosary for Healing and Protection Reflection Guide (Page 7) Stand Up for Children Recognition Ceremony (Pages 8) Child Abuse Prevention Blessing (Page 9)

2 (Child Abuse Prevention Month, April 2014) Ideas and Resources Here are some ideas that your Safeguard the Parish Committee can use to help celebrate Child Abuse Prevention Month in your parish and/or school: 1. Light a candle on the altar during every Liturgy during the month of April and announce that it is a prayerful reminder of victims of child abuse around the world. 2. Read Petitions each Sunday in April. (2014 Petitions on page 2) 3. Order the 2014 Working Together to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse Brochure. (Order form on page 3) Distribute to all school and religious education parents. Handout the new brochure at all Masses during one weekend in April. (Be sure to replace all brochures in the vestibule of the church!) 4. Set up Safeguard the Children table after every Mass during one weekend in April: Give brochures, stickers and prayer cards as handouts to parishioners. Use posters to decorate the table. Additional Parent Handouts are available from: jvienna@la-archdiocese.org) (Remember to have Safeguard the Children booth at your yearly fiesta or carnival!!) (Order forms on pages 4 & 5) 5. Order Keep Kids Safe stickers to distribute to school and Religious Education children and families (Order form page 4) 6. Display Protecting Children and Young People and/or Five Body Safety Rules Posters in vestibule of the Church and at school during April to highlight Child Abuse Prevention Month. (Order form on page 5) 7. Include special Bulletin Announcements in your bulletin during the Month of April. (Sent to parishes each week through ACES or go to: and click on Protecting Children tab. 8. Have the presider give the Child Abuse Prevention Blessing to all those who have participated in Child Abuse Prevention. This includes VIRTUS Facilitators, Teaching Touching Safety Trainers, Safeguard the Children Parish Committee members and all volunteers who have attended the VIRTUS Program! (Blessing on page 9) 9. Organize a special Rosary for Victims during the month of April using the: USCCB Rosary Reflections as a resource. (Found on page 7) 10. St. John the Evangelist holds a month of activities, including a Walk-a-Thon after the noon Mass with participants holding signs and carrying specially-ordered reusable bags imprinted with the words, Keeping Kids Safe. The also sponsor an Art Contest, Essay Contest and have a closing Tea. 11. St. Alphonsus Church in East L.A. held a living rosary with children from the school and the religious education program praying for the prevention of child abuse as well as for survivors of abuse. 12. In observance of National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April, St. Hilary Church in Pico Rivera hosted a special Family Fun Night celebration to help promote family togetherness, and to raise funds for a local charity that provides assistance for abuse victims. 1

3 Petitions for the Sundays of Child Abuse Prevention Month April 2014 It is suggested that your parish light a candle for victim/survivors during every Mass in April as a symbol of your parish community s ongoing support and prayers, each Sunday using the following petitions to commemorate Child Abuse Prevention Month. Week of April 6 th As we celebrate April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month may our commitment to protecting our children and young people continue to grow ever stronger in our churches, communities and the world, we pray to the Lord. Al estar celebrando en Abril el mes Nacional de la Prevención del Abuso Sexual de Niños que nuestro compromiso de proteger nuestros niños y jóvenes continúe creciendo cada más fuerte en nuestras iglesias, comunidades y en el mundo, roguemos al Señor. Week of April 13 th For those who have been harmed by child abuse, that God s grace will ease their suffering and heal their hearts helping them to trust again, we pray to the Lord. Por los que han sido dañados por abuso, que la gracia de Dios alivie su sufrimiento y sane sus corazones para que nuevamente puedan confiar, roguemos al Señor. Easter Sunday That the Easter promise of new life will fill the hearts and minds of those who suffer in body, mind or spirit, we pray to the Lord. Que la promesa de Pascua de una nueva vida llene los corazones y las mentes de aquellos que sufren en cuerpo, mente o espíritu, roguemos al Señor. Week of April 27th For all those caring adults who have been educated to protect children and young people from child sexual abuse; may God bless their efforts in being the ears, eyes and voice of children and young people, we pray to the Lord. Por los adultos que han sido capacitados sobre cómo mantener un ambiente seguro para proteger a los niños y jóvenes contra el abuso sexual; que Dios bendiga sus esfuerzos de ser los " oídos, ojos y voz" de los niños y los jóvenes, roguemos al Señor. Additional Petitions For those who have survived child abuse, that they feel the grace and mercy of God s love in full measure, we pray to the Lord. Por los sobrevivientes de abuso, que Dios los colme de su amor, gracia y misericordia, roguemos al Señor. For all those whose lives have been broken by abuse, that they may be restored to wholeness of the body, mind and spirit, we pray to the Lord. Por todos aquellos cuyas vidas han sido destrozadas por el abuso, que su cuerpo, mente y espíritu sean restaurados, roguemos al Señor. 2

4 2014 Working Together to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse Brochure Available for Free in English and Spanish The new 2014 Working Together to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse brochure contains an introductory letter from Archbishop José H. Gomez and current information about the Safe Environment Offices, Programs, Resources, Polices and Procedures. This new brochure should be distributed to all parish/school staff, parishioners, parents, volunteers, etc. during the Month of April. Copies should also be available in the vestibule of each church. The 2014 Brochures are a green color. (This new brochure replaces the old burgundy 2013 Working Together to Prevent Sexual Abuse. Please discard all old brochures immediately.) Date: Order Form To order bmelendez@la-archdiocese.org or Fax to: (213) Ordered By: Phone: Parish/School: Street Address: City / Zip Code: Region: Working Together to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse (English) Quantity: Trabajando Juntos Para Prevenir el Abuso Sexual (Spanish) Cantidad: Date Shipped: (Office of Safeguard the Children Use Only. Do not fill in this section.) (For more information call the Office of Safeguard the Children: (213) ) 3

5 CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH PRAYER CARDS AND KEEP KIDS SAFE STICKERS Prayer Card To order or fax to: (213) (For more information call the Office of Safeguard the Children: (213) ) Date: Ordered By: Phone: Parish/School: Street Address: City / Zip Code: Region: PRAYER CARDS Promise to Protect, Pledge to Heal (Available in English and ea.) KEEP KIDS SAFE STICKERS (Must be ordered in sets of 100 $1.00 per 100) (available in English only) QUANTITY: QUANTITY: Date Shipped: (Office of Safeguard the Children Use Only. Do not fill in this section.) 4

6 2014 CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH POSTERS ORDER FORM To order or fax to: (213) Date: Ordered By: Phone: Parish/School: Street Address: City / Zip Code: Region: PROMISE TO PROTECT, PLEDGE TO HEAL POSTER (English / Spanish Two sided Poster - 15 x10 ) The first poster free; additional copies are $1.00 ea.) FIVE BODY SAFETY RULES POSTER (English / Spanish Two sided Poster - 18 x13 ) The first poster free; additional copies are $1.00 ea.) QUANTITY: QUANTITY: (Office of Safeguard the Children Use Only. Do not fill in this section.) Date Shipped: (For more information call the Office of Safeguard the Children: (213) ) 5

7 CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION BLESSING Gracious and Loving God, We ask You to bless these Your holy people who have participated in the Church s efforts to help stop child sexual abuse. We thank you for opening their hearts to Your call to be the ears, eyes and voice of children and young people everywhere. Continue to give them the vision and grace needed to fulfill the special commitments that each of them has made to making their homes, churches, schools, communities and world a safer place for all God s Children. We make this prayer through Christ Our Lord. Amen Bendición para la Prevención del Abuso Sexual de Niños Dios amoroso y misericordioso te pedimos que bendigas Tu Pueblo Santo que nos hemos reunido otra vez para aprender nuevas formas para ayudar a poner fin al abuso sexual de niños. Abre nuestros corazones a Tu llamado para que seamos los ojos, oídos y voces de los niños y jóvenes por donde quiera. Danos la visión y gracia que necesitamos para realizar el Compromiso que cada uno hemos hecho para seguir Manteniendo Viva la Promesa en nuestras iglesias, escuelas, hogares y comunidades para que el mundo sea un lugar seguro para todos los niños de Dios. Te lo pedimos por nuestro Señor Jesucristo. Amen. 6

8 Rosary for Healing and Protecting Reflection Guide As Director of Victims Assistance Ministry for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, I am reminded every day to keep survivors of childhood sexual abuse and their families in prayer. Our survivors have taught us that the path to healing can be a long and arduous journey. One on which, they need our continued support to sustain them! Each of us, as members of our Catholic community can contribute to the healing by being remembering survivors of clergy abuse, as well as all survivors of childhood sexual abuse in our prayers. A Prayer for Healing of Victims of Abuse is a powerful resource, as is the Rosary for Healing and Protection. Both can be found at: The following is an example of a reflection from the rosary s sorrowful mystery, the agony in the garden: Many victims of child sexual abuse suffer in silence for years, wrestling alone with the agony of their memories and pain. We pray that the Church may always be a place where they can come to share their stories, be received in love and compassion, and be supported on the path to healing. Our office can provide you with an order of worship to accompany this rosary! It is a beautiful and healing prayer service every parish can easily offer for those who have experienced any type of child abuse. For counseling support, we periodically offer a trauma recovery program for persons who have experienced child abuse. It blends education about the effects of abuse and how to heal from the abuse with a spiritual format. Encourage those you may know to contact our office to find out about the support programs we offer. If you have any questions, please contact Suzanne Healy, Director of Victims Assistance at:

9 "Stand Up for Children and Young People" Outline Our parishes and schools throughout the Archdiocese of Los Angeles have worked hard these past years to make the church a safe place for our children and young people. It is important to let everyone know of our efforts; therefore, we ask that every parish celebrate "Child Abuse Prevention Month" on one of the Sundays in April at each of the Liturgies. Following are ideas that you and your Safeguard the Children Parish Committee and Liturgy Committee can use: #1 Safeguard the Children Presentation: This is a great opportunity for the Safeguard the Children Parish Committee Chair to give a brief presentation about Child Abuse Prevention Month and talk about how the Safeguard the Children Committee has actively worked with the parish/school staff and volunteers to help prevent child sexual abuse and promote a safe environment for children and young people. If you have multiple Masses, more than one person may help share the responsibility such as a VIRTUS Facilitator. A staff member/volunteer from the different ethnic groups that celebrate Mass can be chosen to give the presentation in their language. Sample Outline I. Introduce yourself and the role you help fill in protecting children and young people. II. III. Let people know that your parish and/or school continue to fulfill the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops Charter for the Protecting of Children and Young People. Highlight a few of the things that have been accomplished to help make your parish/school community a safer place for children and young people. You may choose from the ideas listed below or discuss with your pastor and parish committee other ideas you may wish to highlight. 1) Talk about the Safeguard the Children Parish Committee and your role in the parish in working together with the parish/school staff and volunteers to help the parish to fulfill safe environment policies, procedures, training, etc. 2) Discuss the programs that the parish/school has implemented such as: VIRTUS 1) Protecting God s Children, 2) Keeping the Promise Alive Recertification Programs for adults and 3) Teaching Touching Safety or Good-Touch/Bad-Touch programs for children and young people. 3) Share how the parish/school has promoted child sexual abuse prevention by providing copies of the Working Together to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse Brochure at the Masses today and by regularly featuring a Did You Know section in the bulletin. 4) Talk about the physical changes that have been made to the parish or school such as: Installing glass in doors of classrooms and/or confessionals, using ID badges, installing security cameras, fences, new lighting, etc. 8

10 Recognition and Child Abuse Prevention Blessing The Safeguard the Children Parish Committee Chair or priest asks the following people to please stand up to be recognized for their role in protecting children and young people: 1) Members of the Safe Environment Committee. (Ask some members to be at each Mass) 2) All the VIRTUS Facilitators and Teaching Touching Safety Leadership Trainers 3) All the Adults who have attended the VIRTUS Protecting God s Children for Adults 4) All the Children or Young People who attended a Teaching Touching Safety or Good-Touch/Bad- Touch Program 5) All Adults who have participated in the fingerprinting, or participated in other Safe Environment efforts The priest then asks the congregation to raise their right hand and join in giving them a special blessing. (Child Abuse Prevention Blessing in English and Spanish on page 5) 9