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Parish Catholic Scouting
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The Catholic Youth Organization serves more than 64 chartered troops, 5,000 young people and 2,000 volunteers participating in Boy Scouts, Girls Scouts, Campfire and American Heritage Girls programs.
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“The Scout, with his willingness to serve his neighbor, is also called to work for a more "outbound" Church and for a more human world. To this end, you have the noble mission of witnessing wherever you are that, with your faith and your commitment, you can enhance the richness of human relationships and make them a common good that helps social renewal. So I urge you to be both dynamic Christians & faithful scouts! And you will do so by trying to be consistent with the values you carry, by having strong convictions based on the Gospel, in a spirit of openness to others. Then your actions will benefit, in various ways, the society in which you live.”
- Pope Francis -
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Scouting enables young people to ponder the mysteries of the natural world, learn timeless crafts and skills, go on challenging trips and adventures, and offer their God-given gifts and talents to others in need.
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Parish Scouting History
In 1934, the Bishops of the United States, recognizing the strong moral value of the Scouting movement to Catholic youth, formally joined in partnership with Boy Scouts of America to sponsor Scouting units in parishes throughout the country. Because of the success this partnership has had in reaching out to Catholic youth and promoting their faith development, Boy Scouting in the Catholic Church in this country has grown steadily over the years so that today there are over ten thousand Catholic-sponsored Scout units. The Church also associates (through the National Federation of Catholic Youth Ministry) with the Girl Scout and Camp Fire Boys & Girls programs. Both have a strong commitment to the faith development of young men and women. There are currently more than one million Catholic youth in the Boy Scout, Girl Scout and Camp Fire Boys & Girls programs.Locally in The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, these programs are supported as a valuable youth ministry program. Parishes are encouraged to sponsor a Boy Scout, Girl Scout and Camp Fire troop, unit or club. These organizations are an all-encompassing outdoor laboratory where young people not only develop patriotism, grow physically and learn a host of skills, but also where they develop good morals, learn to give cheerful service to others and cultivate a personal relationship with God. Many Church leaders, men and women, have participated in these youth organizations.Promoting and managing these programs in the Archdiocese is done by the Catholic Committees on Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and Camp Fire, which is an integral part of the Catholic Youth Organization. The Committees are responsible for promoting and sponsoring troops or units by local institutions, assisting them in maintaining full and active programs, promoting and carrying out a strong religious emblems program, planning and carrying out pilgrimages, retreats, days of recollection and vocation awareness programs, providing Catholic chaplain services for summer camps and other special functions and recruiting qualified adult volunteers to help plan and carry out this important part of youth ministry.
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Upcoming Events
The events below are just a glimpse of all the events we offer. Please visit our Calendar to view all of our events.
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Calendar
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November 20 - November 22
The National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) is a three-day event, held November 20-22, 2025, in Indianapolis, is a unique opportunity for Catholic teenagers and their adult chaperones to come together in prayer, community, and empowerment. Don’t miss this chance to deepen your faith and encounter Christ alongside peers from across the nation.Read More
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