What is VIRTUS?

The VIRTUS programs were created in 1998 by The National Catholic Risk Retention Group, Inc. (National Catholic). Since its inception, the VIRTUS programs continue to evolve to go above and beyond the needs of organizations to safeguard ministries and people.

Their Mission: To educate and empower everyone (individually and collectively) to ensure optimal safe environments for children and the vulnerable.

Registration Instructions

For assistance with your VIRTUS log-in information if you forgot your USER ID or PASSWORD, visit the website virtusonline.org, call (888) 847-8870, or e-mail helpdesk@virtus.org.

Awareness Training Sessions

Awareness training sessions called Protecting God’s Children for Adults are being held across the Diocese by VIRTUS trained facilitators. This is a special 3-hour training that teaches adults in the Catholic community to create safer environments and become part of the solution to prevent child abuse.

This training has met with positive responses from parents and volunteers from across our Diocese. The training provides adults with awareness of the issues surrounding child sexual abuse and some important steps that we can all take for the protection of children. Adults learn about the warning signs of potential sex offenders and unsafe situations that could place a child or a vulnerable adult at risk of abuse. At every session adults learn how to respond if they should suspect abuse and how to make a report in the State of CT and in the Diocese of Bridgeport.

Participants are provided with an overview of the Diocese of Bridgeport Safe Environment Handbook. See the schedule of upcoming sessions

Scheduling a Training Session

To schedule a Protecting God’s Children Awareness Training at your school, parish, organization or programs please contact Erin Neil, Director of Safe Environments at (203) 416-1406. Training sessions last for 3 hours. The facility hosting the training must have a TV/DVD player or LCD Projector with a screen and speakers in the training room in order to show the video. We ask that training sessions be limited to 50 people at this time. You may need to schedule several trainings offered at your program, parish or school in order to accommodate all of your employees and volunteers. Open training opportunities within The Diocese of Bridgeport will also be posted at www.virtus.org.

Continuing Education

Continuing Education on abuse prevention is critical in maintaining Safe Environment into the future. Following the 3-hour live awareness training, select categories of personnel will receive continuing education online. Pastors, School Principals, Directors of Religious Education, Local Safe Environment Coordinators, and VIRTUS Facilitators will receive updates online. All parents and interested volunteers may access the free home page at any time to learn more about child safety and abuse prevention. For more information on continuing education, please contact your immediate supervisor at your school, parish or program. You may also contact Safe Environment.

Awareness Training Certificate of Attendance

In order for the certificate of awareness training to be accepted as temporary proof of awareness training, it must contain an original signature by a certified VIRTUS facilitator and the participant’s signature must be documented on the awareness training sign-in sheet. Participant signatures on the VIRTUS sign-in sheets are official proof of awareness training attendance. All original VIRTUS sign-in sheets are stored with Safe Environment. A copy of each sign-in sheet must be stored with each training location. Replacement cards can always be obtained by contacting Safe Environment office. Please be prepared to provide the date and training location where you attended.