04/23/2026
CHILD ABUSE PROTECTION & SAFEGUARDING VULNERABLE ADULTS!
What should you do if you know or suspect child abuse is happening? Call 911 or the Colorado Child Abuse Reporting Hotline at 1-844-CO-4 KIDS. In addition to contacting authorities, keep the diocese informed by reporting abuse online at diocs.org
Did you know we have a Safe Environment Coordinator at our parish? Grace Donnelly is our Safe Environment Coordinator. You can always contact her at [email protected] to discuss any concerns of abuse. It is important to communicate, especially when you see or hear something that looks suspicious, questionable, inappropreiate, or that simply makes you feel uncomfortable.
What do we do at our parish to prevent child abuse? Volunteers who work with children at our parish (Sacred Heart Church, Holy Rosary Parish in Cascade, and Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Manitou Springs) must be registered parishioners for at least 6 months. They are required to receive a background check every 5 years, and each year complete Safe Environment training offered by our online volunteer platform, Virtus. There are always at least 2 screened and trained adults in every classroom and volunteers are never alone with children.
In addition, priests, deacons and all parish staff are also required to receive background checks and complete more rigorous and frequent Safe Environment training.
At Sacred Heart Parish, we also believe that it is important to keep the vulnerable adults of our parish safe. All Pastoral Care Ministers who bring Holy Communion to the sick and homebound are quired to receive background checks and Vulnerable Adults training.
Creating a safe environment at our parish is everyone's responsibility. Thank you for helping keep our children and vulnerable adults safe!
