DIOCESAN OFFICES

Safe Environment Office

Did You Know?
Summertime, Safe Time
All teachers, staff, and volunteers in the Diocese of St. Petersburg who work with children must undergo fingerprinting and criminal background checks. (Arch)diocesan guidelines and abuse prevention training programs currently in use emphasize the importance of parents’ knowing who has access to their children at school and other Church-sponsored activities.

Summertime is here, and parents should remain vigilant regarding who is granted access to their children. Make sure camp counselors have undergone criminal background checks. And make sure you know the camp’s daily routine. In particular, make sure that no camp activity results in a child being left alone with one adult.

All activities should be supervised by more than one adult, and the camp should be open to unannounced drop-in visits from parents.  For particular help you may call: Michael Craig, Safe Environment Program Manager at (727) 344-1611, ext. 5377.

Source: Sharon Womack Doty, “Summer Safety—Monitor All Programs!”, VIRTUS, July 17, 2006.

PARISHES AND ORGANIZATIONS

Alpha Course
St. Timothy Catholic Church, 17512 Lakeshore Rd, Lutz
All are invited to TRY the Alpha Course available online or in-person starting September 16. Alpha is an open and friendly environment to ask questions and learn how to build your relationship with Jesus. Offering dessert, amazing videos and non-judgmental small group conversations. No matter where you are in your faith journey, you are invited. And so are your friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, store clerks & restaurant servers. Share Jesus with EVERYONE!! Registration is open and information is available at www.sainttims.org/alpha. 

The Marriage Course Starts September 28 
St. Timothy Catholic Church 
Whether married for six months or 60 years, in a good place or struggling, the course helps couples navigate the modern challenges of marriage. Break out the wine & candles and enjoy time together as a couple! Based on Christian principles, but designed to help couples of all faiths strengthen their relationships from the privacy of home.  Open to everyone – non-parishioners and parishioners! Registration is open – get more information at https://www.sainttims.org/marriage-course/

 Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekend  
The Worldwide Marriage Encounter program is the largest pro-marriage organization in the world, taking place in over 90 countries, and has over 40 years of experience. The WWME experience is NOT counseling, and you are not asked to participate in any group discussions. Rather, you learn marriage-changing principles from three married Catholic couples and a Catholic priest that you can take home, apply to your daily lives, and that will strengthen your marriage and increase the depth of your romance and intimacy.  

The next Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekends in this area are at the Franciscan Center, 3010 N Perry Ave. in Tampa, on September 10-12 and November 12-14, 2021. Space IS limited, so apply early!  For more information about taking a private time away, check out wwme.org or call 813-270-7832.