Volunteer Requirements - Virtus

Volunteer Requirements

Virtus – Protecting God’s Children

ATTENTION ALL VOLUNTEERS!

If you are a School or Parish volunteer you should have received an email from VIRTUS letting you know of required annual updates. The new compliance year runs from July 1 through June 30.


The DCFS CANTS 689 Authorization for Background Check form and the Archdiocesan Standards of Behavior must be submitted every year. You can print the CANTS form from your VIRTUS account or pick one up in the School or Rectory office. It should not be emailed to DCFS, instead, returned to either office or emailed to Mary Stokes, Site Administrator at mstokes@stchristina.org.


Every volunteer should check their VIRTUS account periodically - Virtusonline.org. Red squares on the Homepage means something needs to be completed. Click on the red box to complete. Some items need to be renewed every year and some need to be renewed every 3 years. If you cannot access your account or need help with anything contact Site Administrator, Mary Stokes, not VIRTUS.

WHAT ARE THE VIRTUS PROGRAMS?

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People requires that each employee and/or volunteer within every parish be trained and screened if they have contact with or minister to children. The program in the Archdiocese of Chicago is called VIRTUS or Protecting God’s Children for Adults.

Additional information on VIRTUS is available at the Archdiocese of Chicago and VIRTUS Online.

PROTECTING GOD’S CHILDREN

The VIRTUS – Protecting All God’s Children® Program has been adopted by the Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago to ensure safe environments for children and youth in all parishes, schools and diocesan programs. For information and registration for the next VIRTUS training session in our area, please visit www.virtus.org.



The workshop educates clergy, staff and volunteers who work with children, about the ways to create safe environments for children. The workshop includes videos and facilitated discussions that focus on the prevention of abuse and the protection of children.

VOLUNTEER COMPLIANCE GUIDELINES

All volunteers, new or established, are required to complete the Archdiocesan Standards of Behavior form and CANTS 689 form this school year between July 1, 2025 - June 30, 2026.

  • The Standards of Behavior can be signed in a Virtus account or by hard copy sent to the Office or emailed to mstokes@stchristina.org.
  • The CANTS 689 form must be filled out and a hard copy sent to the School Office or to mstokes@stchristina.org. Do not mail, fax or email it to the DCFS number on the form. Electronic signatures are not accepted.


NEW VOLUNTEERS:


VOLUNTEERS WITH REGISTERED VIRTUS ACCOUNT:

  1. Log in to your account at virtusonline.org. If the account is inactive email mstokes@stchristina.org. Do not contact the Virtus helpdesk.
  2. Complete any expired items highlighted in red boxes on the Homepage:
  • REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:
  • Read and acknowledge the Standards of Behavior document
  • CANTS 689 form - email to mstokes@stchristina.org or send hard copy to the school office. Electronic signatures are not accepted
  • CANTS 22 form*** - email to mstokes@stchristina.org or send hard copy to the school office.
  • BACKGROUND CHECK***
  • CURRENT TRAINING:
  • Complete Recertification Training if required: A Plan to Protect God’s Children 4.0***
  • Mandated Reporter Training***
  1. Update all account information, especially email address.



***NOTE - Every three years online training (A Plan to Protect God’s Children 4.0 Recertification Training), Criminal Background Check, Mandated Reporter Training, and CANTS 22 form are required - COMPLIANCE GUIDELINE CHART