A workshop to inform the faith community about how to respond to members of their congregations who are in domestic violence situations will take place from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday, April 17 at the Shah Center, 4100 W. Shamrock Lane in McHenry. Registration and continental breakfast starts at 8:30 a.m.
The workshop is titled “Faith and Violence: What is Domestic Violence and What Can the Faith Community Do About it?” It is intended for pastors, lay people and anyone in the community who wants to make a difference.
The workshop is sponsored by the 22nd Judicial Circuit Family Violence Coordinating Council to help members of the faith community to know how to appropriately respond to those involved with domestic violence incidents. Participants will also learn the unique needs of family members who are affected by domestic violence and how to begin a domestic violence ministry within their congregations. Attendees will have opportunities for interactive role-playing if they are interested. Information on resources available for domestic violence victims, abusers and child witnesses will also be available.
Presenters include Charles W. Dahm, O.P., a priest of the Dominican Order and pastor of St. Pius V church in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago. He has developed the largest parish based program to assist domestic violence victims, called H.O.P.E. Jim Kintz, M.S., a retired police officer with 42 years of law enforcement experience, will also speak. He has worked for the Illinois State Police, St. Charles Police Department, Waubonsee Community College and Oakton Community College. He is certified with the Illinois Police Training Board as a domestic violence instructor and chairs the Ministry to Victims of Domestic Abuse in his parish.
The program is free and open to the public. To register, contact Bev Thomas, coordinator, 22nd Judicial Circuit Family Violence Coordinating Council, at (815) 479-7792 or email her at bthomas@mchenry.edu.
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