Security Training for Seminaries and Colleges

According to Wikipedia there are over 180 evangelical seminaries and theological colleges in the United States. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_evangelical_seminaries_and_theological_colleges) A recent report from Catholic Culture reports that “the number of {Catholic} seminarians in the United States has risen to 3,608--the highest number since the early 1990s--with some seminaries experiencing their highest enrollment in decades”.(http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=12506)

I have included the above statistics to illustrate that higher education in American related to churches and religious institutions is a booming business. Most churches in America require religious leaders to not only have a bachelor’s degree, but to complete a graduate level seminary program. After conducting research from multiple seminaries I have yet to find one school to offer a dedicated course in safety and security for churches. I encourage you to email me if I am wrong and you know of a seminary that does offer this as a requirement for their program.

In today’s society you cannot read the news without seeing stories everyday regarding churches that are facing trails related to safety and security. These issues range from sex abuse, theft, murder, deceit, coercion, fires, burglary, rape, laundering, computer crime, and more... Many times when a church experiences one of these trials it can lead to the collapse of the institution. Not to mention the lives that have been hurt from the experiences.

I ask the question, “Why do more seminaries not take this topic seriously and address it as important?"

I was recently interviewed by the Columbus Dispatch and I was asked the question, “What do I think the biggest challenge to churches is in getting them to see the need for security?” My answer was “Education at the seminary level! It all starts there!”

If you are reading this from a college, university or seminary and are interested in putting together a curriculum for your school, send me an email and lets talk about how we can make that happen. brian@securityatchurch.com

Pope blesses Twitter, Facebook to spread Church teachings

From: CNET

The pope has friended the online social networks in a big way.

Pope Benedict XIV, who only recently joined Twitter himself, is calling on his followers to use social-networking sites such as Facebook, Tumblr, and Pinterest to spread their faith to nonbelievers.
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Security at Church: It's official... The Pope has now endorsed social media... Now I just need to work on getting him to tweet this webiste!

Philadelphia Church Official Sentenced to at Least 3 Years in Prison

From: New York Times

PHILADELPHIA — Msgr. William J. Lynn, the first Roman Catholic official in the United States to be convicted of covering up sexual abuses by priests under his supervision, was sentenced to three to six years in prison on Tuesday.

“You knew full well what was right, Monsignor Lynn, but you chose wrong,” said Common Pleas Judge M. Teresa Sarmina as she imposed the sentence, which was just short of the maximum of three and a half to seven years.

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Sexual Predator Training Helps Catch Priest

From: Reuters

{A Catholic priest already charged in state court with possessing thousands of pornographic images of young boys is due in a Pittsburgh courtroom on Friday on new federal charges, authorities said...

A parish employee who had undergone training to identify sexual predators allegedly saw Sorensen viewing child pornography on his computer and called the church child abuse hotline.}

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My Thoughts: What caught my attention in this article was the part about the parish employee who had received training to identify sexual predators. I think this is a very important point that so many churches overlook. Sexual sin and sexual abuse is a concern that is plaguing our churches and places of worship. Take the time to give your church membership and leadership the proper protection it needs. 

A second item of interest in this article was the fact that this was the second set of charges that this priest was receiving for child pornography. A good learning point is to insure that your church leadership is included in your screening when doing background checks. It is a good habit to re-screen everyone every couple of years. 

Sexual Abuse in Church - Part 2

From: Carl Chinn - "Think About It" (reposted with permission)

NOTE: With last week’s news out of Penn State University, a lot of media attention has gone once again to the Catholic Church. As a non-Catholic, I once again reject the notion that this issue of sexual abuse is a Catholic problem. I am keeping this important subject posted for another week with another story from this past week, plus some additional bullet points.

The additional bullet points were offered by my good friend Vic Meyer out of Tulsa, OK. Vic has served a security role in church for many years, and has been baptized by fire into the subject of sexual abuse in a church. I know of nobody else who has walked through that fire like Vic, and he has come through it with lessons learned for all of us.

Vic Meyer adds the following. As I read his comments, I thought of the Penn State fiasco. How different it would have been for them if they had followed these three simple bullets at the very first hint of trouble. Take note;

· Successful child predators operating in spiritual settings could not operate without the absolute trust of those who surround them. Trusting friends and co-workers are necessary cogs in the gears that make the predator successful. Those friends and co-workers will be required to give them a pass on policy infractions, dismiss troublesome details, think the best when suspicion is in order and defend when the victim accuses.

· The process of gaining trust is called “grooming” and involves everyone who could stop the predator. The predator counts on those groomed to find the crime so repugnant that they refuse to believe either the victim or the evidence. For that reason the predator will always be among the most faithful and trusted.

· There is nothing romantic or consensual about adult on child personal/sexual relationships. It is a crime. Always involve the authorities and eliminate the “groomed effect” from your in-house inquiries by selecting people with no relationships to the accused.

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On Thursday 11/10, news came out of Corpus Christi, TX that the pastor -- related to the victims through marriage -- had sexually assaulted teens at his church. Jose Humberto Herrera (now 58-years old) had pastored the Iglesia Bautista Buen Pastor (The Good Shepherd Baptist) Church in Alice for 10 years. During that time, 2 teenage girls and their brother worked at odd jobs around the church.

Herrera has admitted to the abuse of the girls, and denied abusing the boy. The girls were 15 and 16 at the time of the assaults. The victims were his step-grandchildren. He is charged with all three crimes.

Catholic Church Weighs in on New Gun Laws for Churches

From: Wausau Daily Herald

{For weeks, the Rev. David Rybicki has pondered how his and other churches should handle the new law permitting concealed weapons.

"Reports about where guns would and wouldn't be allowed have been in the news, and I found myself asking, 'What about churches?'" said Rybicki, pastor of the Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church in Wausau.

The law, which allows people with proper permits to carry concealed weapons of all sorts, went into effect Tuesday. Dozens of concealed carry permits are expected to be issued in coming weeks, which has caused Wausau-area religious leaders to consider whether weapons should be allowed to enter sacred spaces.
"I think, in general, the feeling is we wouldn't want people carrying guns in churches," Brice said. "It would be sad if (people) felt they needed to."}

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*** Unfortunately, due to the increase in crime related to places of worship, I think the time has come that people DO feel that they need to carry weapons in church. I agree with "Brice" that this is a sad statement; however, I would differ in his opinion and would say that the time is already here where criminals do not consider churches "sacred places".

Sacred Silver Stolen From Church

From: KETV NEWS

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa -- Last week, thousands of dollars worth of sacred silver was stolen from a church in Council Bluffs. But the two chalices taken from the Holy Family Catholic Church are priceless to the priest.

Father Dan Kirby's associate discovered that -- sometime between Tuesday and Thursday last week -- thieves took advantage of a forgiving Holy Family Catholic Church to do, seemingly, the unforgivable.

Article

Las Vegas Pastor Pleads Guilty to Stealing $650,000 from Church

From: Los Angeles Times

{Parishioners at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, a Catholic church in Las Vegas, were baffled. Why would their beloved pastor steal from their parish?

But steal, he did. Msgr. Kevin McAuliffe stole from the church mission fund. He stole from the gift shop fund. He even stole from the pot of money for votive candles.}

Article

Nun Robbed at Gunpoint - Michigan

GROSSE POINTE PARK, Mich. — "Police are looking for a gunman they say robbed a 74-year-old nun at gunpoint while she was locking up a church in the Detroit suburb of Grosse Pointe Park.

WDIV-TV reports the nun was at St. Clare of Montefalco Catholic Church on Monday night when the man approached her from behind, pointed the gun at her and demanded money. WJBK-TV reports the nun wasn't carrying money and the gunman ordered her back into the church before he fled."

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$317,000 Stolen from West Chicago Church

"A former Catholic church deacon and business manager who admitted he stole more than $317,000 from his West Chicago church was sentenced Monday to six years in prison.

George Valdez took the money from St. Mary’s Catholic Church, using it to pay credit-card bills and other personal expenses — and to buy himself $10,000 in Bears and White Sox tickets."

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Fetus Found In Hallway of Church

"A fetus was found on Saturday in the hallway of a west suburban church, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's office.

No pronouncement information was immediately available, but the fetus was reportedly found as mass was taking place at St. Louise de Marillac Catholic Parish, 1140 Harrison Ave. in LaGrange Park, is at that location.

Father Denis Condon said the mother, a parishioner who regularly attends mass at St. Louise, had a miscarriage in the women's bathroom during mass Saturday evening."

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$1M Stolen From Church For Male Escorts

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WPIX) - A Roman Catholic priest was arrested and charged Tuesday, after he stole over $1 million from church funds to pay for a number of personal expenses including male escorts, authorities said.

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According to the Archdiocese in Connecticut several positive things have been done to rectify this issue. First off, it was the Archdiocese itself that turned in the Priest to the local authorities. It is good to know that the parent organization was pursuing justice rather than trying to protect itself. The Archdiocese also stated that it has formed a financial council to now oversee the funds of the church. Every church should have a type of financial council that look after it money. The Bible speaks extensively about the love of money and about the temptation that money can be. It is unwise for any church to place that temptation solely in the hands of one person.

Catholic Bishop Mandates Fingerprinting of Volunteer's

"Anyone who volunteers in a Catholic parish in Las Vegas -- ranging from ushers to those who clean up litter at a church festival -- must be fingerprinted or they cannot volunteer, the bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Las Vegas has decreed."

"The Catholic Church has been rocked nationally and internationally by sex and child abuse scandals. And the policy was handed down to "further protect children" in local parishes, according to Rachel Wilkinson, of Rogich Communications, the public relations firm that represents the diocese."

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Bishop Joseph Pepe, head of the local diocese and author of the policy is on the right track with this new policy. In fact this policy should be adopted by all churches across america, Catholic or Protestant!

I have been working with a company called ItelliCorp who offers a full range of Background Check Services. After researching many of the leading Background Check companies I found ItelliCorp to offer some of the best services for one of the best prices. You also have the privilege to work directly with Alan Larkin (Directly at 1-800-539-3717 ext. 109) who has been assigned to assist all www.securityatchurch.com blog readers.

Background checks will not stop crimes from occurring at your church; however, they do provide a tool to help you use wisdom in who you allow to serve in positions at your church or parish. 

Church Security at the Vatican

Today I have a very special and unique opportunity. My wife and I have been spending the last week celebrating her birthday on a Mediterranean cruise. Today we ported into Civitavecchia, which is about 1 hour outside of Rome. Through several contacts that I have had to privilege to make, I have been able to arrange a tour of the Vatican. I have worked in the United States with Vatican authorities during one of the Pope’s visits to Washington; however this will be extremely different experiencing it first hand in their country. This will be an honor and exciting experience to see how Church Security is preformed at one of the most powerful religious locations in the world.