The Safeguard the Children committee at Our Lady of Grace Church in Encino will hold an ecumenical Taizé prayer service March 12 at 7:30 p.m. Organized on behalf of those who have experienced physical, psychological or sexual abuse, the community prayer evening, which is free and open to the public, will include chants, Scripture readings and prayers of petition for peace and reconciliation.

Members of the Safeguard the Children committee, which includes co-chairpersons Loretta and Fred Haemker and parish parents, teachers, law enforcement officers, psychologists, clinical social workers, medical professionals and catechists, seek to educate children and adults to recognize and report abuse in all its forms and to foster a healing environment for survivors of all forms of abuse.

The committee has provided information in the parish bulletin and sponsored an in-service for parish clergy, faculty members and ministry office staff members. In the near future, the committee will initiate an on-going program entitled, "Good Touch, Bad Touch" for all the children in the parish school and the religious education program.