Requirements to Work or Volunteer with Children

In conjunction with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Diocese of Paterson requires all volunteers and/or employees who have REGULAR contact with children, minors or vulnerable adults to be approved to work by completing the following steps:

1. Complete an online background check.
2. Read, understand and acknowledge a Pastoral Code of Conduct
3. Attend a 3-hour VIRTUS^® live training program entitled Protecting God’s Children^®.

The process to complete these requirements has been streamlined into one registration interface. Simply go to www.virtusonline.org to begin the registration process and click FIRST TIME REGISTRANT. Before you begin, be sure you are using either a laptop or desktop computer, and not a cell phone, and once you start the process you must complete it without pausing at any point or the system will time out. Next, make sure that the name you use for both VIRTUS & FASTRAX^® is exactly as it appears on your driver's license. If there is a difference, the system will reject your registration. 

After creating a username and password, please select the Paterson Diocese of Paterson, NJ, as the location from the drop-down menu. Select a date for a Protecting God's Children session. You will then be brought to the Pastoral Code of Conduct. Please read it, and follow the directions for acknowledgment. 

The last step is the Online Background check. The system will automatically take you to the website of Selection.com/Fastrax. Read the instructions carefully and follow the directions. Be sure to hit submit when finished. The entire process will take 10 minutes, and in most cases, the results will be available within 24 hours. 

Any questions or concerns, please contact your Local Youth Protection Coordinator or Eric Wilsusen, Director of Child & Youth Protection at the Diocese of Paterson at [email protected] or 973-777-8818 x257 or Assistant Nicole Pizza-George at [email protected] or 973-777-8818 x221

Schedule of Protecting God's Children Sessions