Child and Youth Protection (Safe Environment)

The Catholic Church affirms the inherent dignity of each human person as created in the image and likeness of God. Therefore, we respect the dignity of every person, as doing so reflects of our love for God. Abuse of any person is inexcusable but the sexual abuse of a minor or vulnerable adult is a particularly reprehensible violation of one’s dignity for which there is no justification. As they are unable to adequately provide it for themselves, minors and vulnerable adults especially deserve our protection. In communion with the Diocese of Charleston, St. James parish is committed to making every effort to create and maintain safe environments in which to worship and learn and we are adamant that the abuse of children or vulnerable adults will not be tolerated by anyone, especially church personnel. We uphold 

As comissioned by the Diocese of Charleston, and to ensure a safe environment within our parish, St. James is committed to upholding the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People (2011) and the Diocese of Charleston Policy and Code of Conduct Concernring the Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Adults (2022). 

In an effort to ensure the safety of minors and vulnerable adults in the care of the Diocese, background screenings will be conducted for all church personnel.

Church personnel is defined by the Diocese’s policy as: all clergy, religious sisters and brothers, seminarians, and all employees and volunteers who have access to minors or vulnerable adults while serving in organizations and/or programs sponsored by or endorsed by local parishes and/or schools.

The Office of Child and Youth Protection in conjunction with the parish coordinator, oversees the implementation, management, and processing of all forms necessary to conduct the appropriate background screening investigations.

Background screenings consist of:

• A criminal history record check, national or international as indicated.
• A check with the United States Department of Justice National Sex Offender Registry.
• Social Security Number verification.
• Driver’s history check if part of job responsibility includes driving on behalf of the parish or school and/or involves transporting minors or vulnerable adults not related to the driver for parish or school functions.
• Credit Check for all those responsible for handling money or making financial decisions – this includes ushers, counters, members of parish finance councils, and those who collect or manage money on behalf of schools and school athletic organizations/functions.

For information on how to report an allegation of abuse, visit the website for the Diocese Of Charleston.

Reporting an allegation:

• If you have been abused by a priest or other church personnel, please contact the law enforcement officials where the abuse occurred.

The Victim Assistance Minister can assist individuals in presenting their allegations to the Office of the Vicar General and provide pastoral resources. For assistance Contact the Victim Assistance Coordinator, Louisa Storen, LISW, (843) 856-0748 or 1-800-921-8122

The Parish Safe Environment Coordinator is Taylor Monahan. We encourage you to be aware of our parish program, feel free to suggest improvements and report any concerns you might have.

View Our Volunteer and Staff Code of Conduct.