Overview
Prince of Peace takes the protection of all youth in our parish, including those attending our school, religious education programs and youth ministry, and Early Education Center seriously. We are committed to providing the safest environment possible for all youth who visit our campus.
To submit an online report to the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas regarding suspected sexual abuse by a member of the clergy or church or school personnel, please click here.
All employees, whether working with children or not, and all volunteers who have contact with children and/or youth are required to submit to background checks prior to their engagement with children or teens and are required to agree to policies regarding Sexual Harassment, Child Protection, and Ethical Standards set forth by the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. All volunteers whose roles put them in contact with children and/or youth, all employees, and all clergy are required to attend a child safety awareness program designed for adults called Virtus®. More information about the Virtus® program may be found below.
All children under the age of 18 enrolled in Catholic Schools or in Religious Formation Programs or parish youth groups participate in age-appropriate awareness training designed for children to help protect them. Parents who choose to "opt out" of these children’s programs on behalf of their children may obtain the training materials from the parish or school so they themselves can provide the awareness training for their own children.
VIRTUS Program: Protecting God's Children for Adults
All volunteers age 16 or older who participate in environments and activities that may include supervision of or work alongside youth under the age of 18 will be required to attend a Virtus® awareness session, complete a background check, and review and sign three documents. Children under the age of 16 should never attend the Awareness sessions (nor should they be considered as adults or placed in unsupervised environments requiring supervision of minors). For those volunteers under the age of 18, a Parental Permission Form is required for admittance and we encourage that a Parent/Guardian attend the same Virtus Awareness session with their child. Every adult connected with a parish, school or agency in the Catholic Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas has an opportunity to attend these sessions designed to prevent and bring awareness to the abuse of children and is encouraged to do so. The word virtus derives from Latin, and means valor, moral strength, excellence, and worth. In ancient times, virtus denoted a way of life and manner of behavior that always aspired to the highest, most positive attributes of people and aspects of human interaction. The VIRTUS program identifies the warning signs of abuse and teaches strategies for maintaining safe environments for children.
When adults who interact with children increase their awareness of child sexual abuse, they form a shield that protects children. That shield is a network of adults alert to potentially abusive situations and children with the confidence to speak up. Participants will learn how to discuss different aspects of abuse, including sexual abuse, with children and how to teach them to protect themselves.
Prince of Peace periodically hosts Protecting God's Children for Adults/VIRTUS sessions as do the majority of other parishes, schools, and religious agencies throughout the Archdiocese. These sessions are led by a trained facilitator and are scheduled to be three hours in length. You are not required to attend a session at Prince of Peace and are encouraged to choose a session that is convenient for you to date, time, and location.
When you are ready to register, click the VIRTUS logo to the left. You will be taken to the VIRTUS Online page where you will click "Begin the registration process," then select "Kansas City in Kansas" from the drop-down menu. Please note, when you register, you have not completed the full process until you have created an account, registered for the session of your choice, self-initiated your Background Check, and reviewed and signed the three required documents online.
To view a list of all upcoming sessions in the Archdiocese, click on the calendar to the right. You will be taken to the VIRTUS Online page where you will click "View a list of sessions," then select "Kansas City in Kansas" from the drop-down menu and select "Kansas City in Kansas" from the drop-down menu. As a reminder, you do not have to attend a session at Prince of Peace if another location, date, or time is more convenient.