Background Checks

The Diocese of Maryland seeks to maintain a safe, secure, and loving environment where clergy, teachers, leaders, and caregivers -both paid and volunteer- minister appropriately to the needs of all persons.

Among other efforts to preserve and maintain such an environment, it is appropriate that careful background checks be conducted for:

1. All Postulants for Holy Orders,
2. All Clergy at the time of ordination, and at the time of a call to a new cure or responsibility,
3. All church employees, and
4. All volunteers who regularly supervise youth activities (excluding unpaid Sunday School teachers).

It is important to remember that background checks are NOT conducted because the Church perceives anyone to be unsuitable to engage in ministry; rather, background checks are conducted to meet our inherent obligation to maintain a safe environment for everyone within Christ's Church.

A diligent background check has four components:

• The consistent use of applications prior to a person's engagement in ministry within the church
• Careful consideration of information contained in the completed application
• Careful and thoughtful inquiries of former employers, supervisors, and personal references
• Thorough follow up inquiries as may be suggested on the basis of information acquired through this process.

To assure the Church's ability to demonstrate that is has taken all reasonable action to assure that ministry is conducted by appropriate persons, complete records shall be made of all activities constituting backgrounds checks. These records shall be maintained indefinitely.

Summary of a Diligent Background Check:

1- Application Form

2- Personal Interview

3- Background Check / Reference Inquiry

For All Clergy:

1. All Bishops, past and present, having canonical authority over the cleric
2. All schools attended by the cleric in the past five years
3. All congregations and/or lay employers served by the cleric in the past five years. If the cleric has served only one congregation or had only one employer over the past five years, then inquiries shall be made of the two most recent employers or congregations.
4. Credit Report
5. Driving Record Report

For Lay Employees and Volunteers who regularly supervise youth activities:

1. All employers served for the past five years, or two most recent employers
2. All schools attended in the past five years
3. Credit Report, at the employer's discretion
4. Driving Record Report, at the employer's discretion

4- Other Follow-up, as warranted

5- Maintenance of Records

The Diocese can help

The Diocese of Maryland has made arrangements with a private firm, Oxford Document Management, Inc. to perform required background checks on behalf of the Diocese, its congregations, and agencies. However, use of Oxford's services is not required, and congregations may use their own resources and/or agencies to conduct Background Checks in keeping with these guidelines.

For a complete copy of Policies and Procedures Concerning Personnel Background Checks for Clergy and Laity, or information on utilizing the services of Oxford Document Management, Inc., please contact the Rev. Mark Gatza at the number given above, or via email at .