New York parish issuing photo ID cards to staff, volunteers

Published: 2005-12-07

SEAFORD, N.Y. (CNS) -- In an ongoing effort to protect children, a parish in the Rockville Centre Diocese has issued official photo identification badges to all members of its staff and to about 700 volunteers. Since September, the technology committee at St. William the Abbot Church in Seaford has been taking pictures of the parish's staff members and most of its volunteers who work with children or other "at-risk groups," such as seniors and the homebound, said George Cacace, an engineer and co-chairman of the committee. Among the first to get their badges were Father William Koenig, pastor, school principal Anna Guardino and Mary Calabrese, parish religious education director. "We are doing everything we can to be vigilant for children," Calabrese told The Long Island Catholic, Rockville Centre's diocesan newspaper. "We want to use every tool we have to prevent potential child abuse." The badges will enable children, parents, staff and volunteers to recognize anyone who has been approved by the parish.

Copyright (c) 2005 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .