You know the old saying that if someone from the government comes to your door and says, “Eveything is OK, we’re here to help you,” that you should get your gun and run him off because it means things are neither OK nor are they here to help you.
That’s what came floating through my head as I read the latest memo from the Archdiocese of Boston’s Child Advocacy Office to school principals and pastors on the Talking about Touching program.
Yes, they’re using that here as well. I don’t know what Cleveland’s program is like, but the Virtus training here includes videotapes of pedophiles discussing their tactics. And the diocese has decreed that everyone who does anything in the parish must view this stuff.
I’ve been hearing about poor little old ladies who clean the church and teen girls who lector being required to view this stuff and then having nightmares about it later.
I don’t think Virtus, at least at it’s done here, is much better than TaT.
Does anyone realize that this program (VIRTUS)and the Norms set up by the Conference of Catholic Bishops are all set up to cover the bishops/dioceses and that if you were falsely accused you have no help from the diocese even if you are working in a formal position as paid employee or dedicated volunteer. Only the clergy may be given legal assistance by the diocese. One who takes a chance of working in any capacity with children in the church now has taken on a large legal responsibility which the Church that you were serving will not help you with (assuming you are falsely accused, which does happen). I think this needs to be addressed by more lay persons within the USA.
Virtus will be coming into the Religious education classes of the children as early as this fall with a program called “Touching Safety”. Let us see what this leads to. Since Virtus prides itself on ongoing training, are we leading to sex education???