Child Abuse Prevention Month Set for Parishes, Dioceses in April
WASHINGTON—Child Abuse Prevention Month will be marked in parishes and dioceses around the United States in April.
To assist church groups, the U.S. bishops' Secretariat of Child and Youth Protection has developed resources in English and Spanish to facilitate activities to highlight the need for prevention efforts. They include posters, liturgical guides, articles on church efforts to reach out to abuse victims and to protect children, and bulletin announcements. All materials may be downloaded for use locally. The materials are available on the USCCB's website at http://www.usccb.org/ocyp/april_cap_month_2009.shtml.
The Child and Youth Protection Secretariat has made care for minors a key priority and spearheaded nationwide safe environment programs. Through these programs more than five million minors already have been educated on such how to protect themselves from harm and almost two million adults have undergone background screening and training on appropriate relationships with youth in their care.
"There are few things more important than protecting our children from harm," said Bishop Blase Cupich of Rapid City, South Dakota, chair of the bishops' Committee on the Protection of Children and Young People. "Child abuse in our society is rampant and we are called to do what we can to stop it. Children are gifts entrusted to us by God. All responsible adults must protect the life and dignity of those gifts. Child Abuse Prevention Month deserves our attention in both prayer and action."