Catholic Scouting has been an official program of the Catholic Church in the United States for more than 100 years.
Through the Episcopal Liaison for Catholic Scouting, the National Catholic Committee on Scouting (NCCS) is officially related to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). The NCCS comprises concerned Catholic laity and clergy who oversee and promote Catholic Scouting as a form of Youth Ministry in the US. They also serve as an advisory committee to the Boy Scouts of America (BSA).
The NCCS provides guidance and structure for integrating Catholic teaching into Scouting programs nationwide through local parishes and Catholic schools. Guided by the USCCB, Catholic Scouting partners with other Catholic organizations, such as the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) and the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry (NFCYM), to provide faithful and practical Church-sanctioned programming and guidance to Scouting units.
Two examples of programs that the NCCS has developed under the auspices of the USCCB include robust Religious Activities and Religious Emblem curricula. The Religious Activities program includes more than 50 recognitions Scouts can earn by exploring the lives of Catholic role models and learning about their faith. The five in-depth Religious Emblems program allows Scouts to engage and explore their faith more profoundly. Catholic Scouting’s Religious Emblems and Religious Activities are all designed to help Catholic Scouts grow in their faith, cultivate leadership skills and learn about serving others – all while having fun with friends and experiencing the adventure of Scouting.
Catholic Scouting provides our children and youth an opportunity to explore nature and to develop within themselves the capacities to think morally and to act with purpose. The combination of adventurous experiences and service to others reflects the Catholic worldview and forms a great foundation for future service to the Church and to the nation.
Find out more about how Catholic Scouting complements what Catholic school educators teach in the classroom and what is taught in parish faith formation classes.