April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month

Our Catholic faith calls for us to uphold the value of human life and the dignity of the human person. The protection of children is the responsibility of the entire Church, including you. Every April, Catholic parishes and schools across the United States participate in National Child Abuse Prevention Month.

Protecting Our Children

A Family’s Response to Sexual Abuse

This short documentary film produced by the Knights of Columbus offers families a deeply personal and practical account of how one Knight and his family addressed their son’s abuse by a close family friend. The film presents parents with the scope and scale of the risks families face from sexual abuse in today’s society and provides them with knowledge and concrete steps they can follow to help keep their children safe.

The accompanying Guide For Families is a practical resource that contains useful information to help families protect their children from the risk of abuse.

The Swimsuit Lesson

By Jon Holstein. Illustrated by Scott Freeman

Read here by the Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration, the Swimsuit Lesson is a powerful family resource – introducing a simple, yet effective way for parents to educate their children about the danger of sexual abuse.

Novena for Protection and Healing from Abuse

Together, for nine days, let’s pray that the vulnerable are protected from abuse, and that survivors of abuse may be accompanied on their paths to healing.

YOUTH PROTECTION

The office of Youth Protection creates safe environments for children in our parishes and schools.