If EGC Lesson 2 was not taught last year (2023-2024) your site is responsible for teaching both EGC Lessons 2 & 3 in the early fall (2024). This means you will need to follow the directions listed on this page for both Lesson 2 & 3, which is 2 hours of culminated teaching time. If you have any questions about how to do this, email the EIM Office (see contact info below).

Teaching Empowering God’s Children Lesson 3 - Boundaries: You Have Rights!

This year (2024-2025), all grade levels will be taught Empowering God’s Children, Lesson 3. Bishop Joe Vásquez prefers that this 1-hour lesson be taught within the first 3 weeks of the school/religious education year. The lesson plan is found on VIRTUS.org under the Children’s Program Tab and is grade-level specific. This training for children is a requirement within the Diocese of Austin.

Once a date is determined to teach this 1-hour lesson:

Step 1: Read over all materials.

• Read the Program Overview of the Teaching Safety – Empowering God’s Children Program.
• Read through the Teaching Boundaries and Safety Guide.
• OPTIONAL: Request to be assigned and complete the Lesson Leader Orientation and Certification Module. This training teaches you what to do and how to react if a child discloses abuse.
  • Request this training by emailing [email protected].
• On VIRTUS.org, Children’s Program Tab, review the lesson plans for the grades. 

• Go to VIRTUS.org, login & go to the Children’s Program Tab, then scroll down to the lesson plans and click "Download" to download the Lesson 3 plan for the grade level you will be teaching.
  • Click here to view pre-made lesson plans that include lesson leader scripts, PowerPoints, and workbooks for the kids.
• Go through the activities and decide which ones will work best for that group of children and the facility you will be teaching in.
• Choose 2-3 activities to use while teaching the lesson. Give yourself some wiggle room for questions and discussion.
• This lesson is very customizable. If you would like help to format your lesson, please contact [email protected].

Step 3: Two weeks before the lesson, email the parents the following documents (can be printed if necessary):

• The Program Overview of the Teaching Safety – Empowering God’s Children Program.
• The Teaching Boundaries and Safety Guide.
• The Lesson 3 lesson plan correlates with their child’s grade level.
• The Opt-out form.
  • If parents choose to opt out of the lesson, please have them fill this form out and give it back to you.
  • If parents choose to opt out, they are choosing to use the lesson plan and the Teaching Boundaries and Safety Guide to teach their children Lesson 3 at home. Opting out does not mean a child does not learn the lesson that year, it means the parents would prefer to teach it themselves at home.
  • Please scan a copy of any opt-out forms and email them to [email protected] for our records. 
• OPTIONAL: Let parents know that if they would like to be assigned the Lesson Leader Orientation and Certification Module, they are more than welcome to request it by emailing [email protected]. This lesson helps teach what to do if a child discloses abuse.

Step 4: Teach the 1-hour lesson to the children. Teaching this program helps children stay safer; thank you for your dedication to the well-being and safety of the children within our diocese.

 Step 5: Record the training as soon as possible when done teaching. 

• Login to VIRTUS.org and go to the Children’s Program Tab.
• Click “Record Training” on the left.
• Click “Add a new training record.”
• Fill out the blanks accordingly.
  • 
• Click “Create Acknowledgement and Continue” and save the document within your records (either virtual or printed).
• Click “Record Training”
  • 

Program for Education of Minors

Empowering God's Children - promulgated by Most Rev. Joe S. Vásquez, Bishop of Austin on January 1, 2023

Empowering God's Children - Information for Parents/Guardians (click here for the .pdf version).

As Catholics, we believe that every human being is created in the image and likeness of God. Each of us is sacred and our lives — body, mind and soul — should be treated with respect. Empowering God's Children (EGC) is an age-appropriate comprehensive safety education and sexual abuse prevention program that gives our youth practical tools, using simple activities, to help them understand this fundamental teaching of our faith.
Each parish and Catholic school in the Diocese of Austin is required to use Empowering God's Children every school year to help educate all K-12th grade students about abuse prevention and personal safety. This year, Lesson 3 – Boundaries: You Have Rights! will be taught. Besides being developmentally appropriate and sequential for each age group, EGC differs from other Ethics and Integrity in Ministry programs in that it is classroom-based (rather than a facilitator-led workshop) and the program instructors are the teachers/catechists the students already know.   
 
Parents should understand the importance of this program as part of their education about boundaries, appropriate interactions between adults and minors and related personal safety issues. This is not considered an optional program; students who cannot attend should have a valid reason for their absence and should be taught the lesson by their parents at home. Parents may choose to fill out an opt-out waiver to excuse their child from the program at their parish/school; this can be obtained from the parish/school representative coordinating the session. Students who do not attend are not required to “make up” the session, but the responsibility to teach the lesson at home is given to parents. Parents of students who do not attend EGC for any reason (opt-out or absence) should receive the curriculum information to teach their child.

Other Links and Resources for Parents

• USCCB Child Safety Information
• Resources to Help Protect Kids from Human Trafficking
• Education Services - Center for Child Protection 
• Youth Protection/Safe Environment resources from the Knight's of Columbus
• The Catholic Church is Committed to the Safety of Children
• 10 Points to Create Safe Environments for Children
• Faith and Safety - Technology Safety through the Eyes of Faith