To ensure that diocesan policies are followed, the Diocese of St. Petersburg volunteers to participate in an independent audit each year. To read our audit compliance letters, click here.
On April 15, 1992, the Diocese of St. Petersburg began the requirement of background screening and fingerprinting all employees, volunteers, clergy and seminarians who have the care, responsibility, and/or supervision of children and youth. Beginning in July of 1997, the diocese also required those having the care, responsibility and/or supervision of vulnerable adults (i.e. elderly, disabled, etc.) to be screened and fingerprinted. This screening is to be repeated every five years. Our policies call for successful completion of an FBI/FDLE (AFRNP) Level 2 Criminal History Background Check, which is a more stringent screening than is required by the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, which was established by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in 2002, following the sex abuse crisis that began in Boston.
We also require Church personnel to participate in our diocesan Safe Environment Training to learn ways to sustain and foster a safe environment. We make clear to clergy and all members of the community the standards of conduct for clergy and other persons with regard to their contact with minors. (see Code of Conduct)
Much progress has been made since these safeguards were established to address allegations of sexual abuse of minors by Catholic clergy.