The success of our Parish is solely dependent on the willingness of volunteers. We ask you to help the parish grow and succeed by volunteering your time and talents.
All volunteers and employees within the Diocese of Trenton are required to be fingerprinted for federal and state background check and take a “Safe Environment” workshop called “VIRTUS.” You must be cleared by the state prior to joining ministry. (This includes all clergy, staff, and volunteers.)
FINGERPRINTING/BACKGROUND CHECK
VOLUNTEER PROCEDURES DOCUMENT will assist you prior to going online to register for an appointment. Our parish does reimburse the fee once fingerprinting has been done and the application has been returned to our office with IdentoGO receipt attached. It is very important to arrive on time for your appointment and to bring the completed application form and personal picture ID with you otherwise you will be turned away and charged a new fee NOT refundable by the parish.
Effective February 17, 2020
Schedule appointments online at https://uenroll.identogo.
VIRTUS “Protecting God’s Children”
In order to continue in your ministry you must be compliant with the Diocese of Trenton. VIRTUS was put in place by the Diocese of Trenton and is necessary for all volunteers who help out more than a few hours a year in our parish and who are in contact with children, young adults, homebound and elderly.
Due to COVID-19, we are allowing our volunteers to “attend” a VIRTUS workshop online. Using the following VIRTUS Online Instructions to aide in walking through the registration process at www.virtus.org. Keep your email and password safe. Fill out all necessary blanks and questions but STOP when you get to choosing a location. Exit out and immediately email mzola@mmotcp.org so she can notify the Diocese of Trenton that you have done so. You will then receive an email to begin the training. The training MUST be completed within a two-week time period, you may stop and save your work as you go, otherwise you will need to begin all over.
FIRST TIME REGISTRANTS must attend the FULL workshop.
For volunteers that have attended the full training over 4 years, you are now required to attend a RE-CERTIFIATION class using your previous account. Helpful hints are available if you’ve forgotten your original email or password.
POLICY REQUIREMENTS
Please note that both fingerprinting and attendance at a VIRTUS retraining session must be completed every four years. In the past, attendance at one VIRTUS session for the duration of the individual’s involvement with a youth-serving organization met the Diocesan Safe Environment requirement. The current policy requires that individuals now complete both VIRTUS and fingerprinting once every four years. This change in policy is due to revisions made in June 2018 to the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.
If you have been fingerprinted and/or attended VIRTUS in the past but are unsure of whether you are due to repeat either/both, please contact Margaret Zola. Fingerprinting/background checks done by other organizations will not be accepted in lieu of the Diocesan fingerprinting process.
Margaret Zola
Coordinator of Religious Education
Safe Environment Coordinator
609- 291-8281 ext. 118