For the Sake of God’s Children is a program focused on the continuous development of a safe environment in our communities. The program has three major components:
- Conducting background checks for Church Personnel
- Ethical and Behavioral Standards for Church Personnel
- Safe Environments Training
VIRTUS Online Safe Environment Training
Effective July 1, 2026, the VIRTUS Protecting God’s Children for Adults training will replace the For the Sake of God’s Children videos.
All employees and only volunteers who work with children will create a VIRTUS account to complete the Protecting God’s Children training and electronically sign annual acknowledgements. Current and new background clearance dates will be manually transferred to each account profile. The VIRTUS training is renewed every three years, and background checks are renewed every five years. Please visit https://www.virtusonline.org/ to create your Safe Environment account. First time users must click the First-Time Registrant button to begin the registration process. Select Wilmington (Diocese) from the dropdown menu.
The training consists of short videos with several questions after each video and takes approximately 60 to 90 minutes to complete. Your progress will be saved if you are unable to finish the training in one sitting.
Thank you in advance for fulfilling these requirements to support the Diocese of Wilmington’s efforts to ensure the safest possible environment through awareness training and by strengthening prevention initiatives.
- Introduction and Frequently Asked Questions
- Child Protection Policies of the Diocese of Wilmington
- Decree Concerning the Non-Penal Disposition of Allegations of Sexual and Other Forms of Abuse of Minors and Other Vulnerable Persons
- Ethical Standards for Church Personnel and Volunteers (Acknowledgement Completed Through VIRTUS Account)
- Technology in Ministry Policy (Acknowledgement Completed Through VIRTUS Account)
- Section Two – Background Checks
- Section Three – Safe Environments
- Section Four- Resources
Questions about the program can be directed to : FSGC@cdow.org
The above documents are in Acrobat (PDF) format. If you do not have the Free Acrobat reader, click here.
Keeping Our Promises Curriculum for Parish Religious Education Programs
Video Part One: Keeping Our Promises Curriculum for Parish Religious Education
In this 3-part video presentation, Ms. Kellie Turner, Director of Programs for Prevent Child Abuse Delaware, reviews the curriculum used by parish religious education teachers (catechists) to teach their elementary school students about child abuse and how to prevent it.
Part One Contents:
1. Agenda review
2. About Prevent Child Abuse Delaware
3. Addressing your concerns
4. What happens if a child discloses abuse to you?
5. Why have a child abuse prevention program?
6. Review of the ‘binder’ contents available online at
7. Ms. Michelle Hogan reviews the faith aspect of the curriculum 8. Tips for teachers
Part Two Contents:
- Information about reporting child abuse
- Curriculum objectives
- Common topics
- Private places
- Kinds of touches
- Types of child abuse
- Classroom management tips
- Lesson demonstration
Part Three Contents:
- Demonstration of lesson continues
- Questions and Answers
- Tips for presenting the lesson
- How to train others to give the lesson
This video series is a presentation of the Diocese of Wilmington’s Office for Safe Environments and Office for Religious Education, in conjunction with Prevent Child Abuse Delaware. A production of the Diocese of Wilmington’s Office of Communications.