The Diocese of Fort Worth, Texas, is expanding its Guardian Ministry, a volunteer-based security program established in 2018 to address rising violence against houses of worship, according to the diocese’s website.
According to the Fort Worth Report, volunteers, who are under the leadership of diocesan security director Mike Short, include former law enforcement officers who serve in roles ranging from greeters and ushers to visible security personnel at parish events. The report also notes that the program combines overt deterrence, including parking-lot patrols, with more discreet integration inside worship spaces.
“We blend into the background. That’s kind of what our goal is,” Short told the Fort Worth Report, saying that some ministry members serve more covert roles like greeters or ushers.
The program has been expanding steadily since its founding — more than 580 trained volunteers in the community-led, parish-based ministry now participate across the diocese’s 28 counties in North Texas. According to the Fort Worth Report, interest accelerated after the Aug. 27 shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis. Parents in particular have stepped forward, prompting the diocese to set a target of doubling the ministry’s size by 2025. Parishes such as Good Shepherd Church in Colleyville and Our Lady of Fatima in Fort Worth already have active teams, and others continue to build their rosters.
“We’re not making them into police officers, but certainly capable defenders that can step in for that amount of time to preserve life is the primary reason,” Short said.
Leaders say the program fills gaps in emergency preparedness by empowering parishioners, especially those with relevant experience, to take responsibility for the safety of their communities.
“We bring together Guardians — people who are willing and able to step up and act during a crisis, to define the new rules of emergency response together, so that we effectively save lives and bridge the gap when the unexpected happens and first responders are minutes away,” the diocese’s website stated.
“For me, it’s a calling. I feel like this is what I’m here for,” one Guardian Ministry volunteer told The Fort Worth Report. “And so I pass that skill on to others so that they themselves can hopefully pass it on to someone else.”
The post Guardian Ministry: Catholics expand church security in Fort Worth diocese appeared first on CatholicVote org.