Catholics Pivoting from GSUSA To American Heritage Girls?

[Beavah]

Really? You would not have a problem if an organization you belonged to told you that you were REQUIRED to take your children out of one youth group and register them in another?

 

Yah, but it wouldn't play that way, eh?

 

Instead it would be an announcement that in keepin' with da Church's mission and da Catholic character of the school, the school was no longer goin' to subsidize access to GSUSA programs. Parents are of course free to enroll their kids in whatever activities they want, but da GSUSA units would no longer meet at the school. Quietly, da school administration would no longer provide GSUSA access for recruiting or other school recognition. Instead, da school would announce a new charter with AHG, and AHG would meet at the school, and would be provided access for recruiting. In fact, Mrs. Jones, a well-liked 7th grade teacher would be da initial leader for the new AHG program, and here's the calendar of their activities for da coming year.

 

Now, how long do yeh think the GSUSA unit would continue to exist?

 

I agree with yeh, though, that as close as I can tell at present this is nuthin' more than a sense of quiet dissatisfaction over GSUSA in some of da more conservative Catholic hierarchy and congregations. It's not yet a big issue, and if GSUSA continues to tread softly and be accommodatin', there's no reason for it ever to become one.

 

Beavah

 

[Beavah]

As I mentioned earlier - the Catholic Committee on Scouting is DIRECTLY tied to the BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA. BSA is even a part of it's symbol. It is NOT a Girl Scout ministry - at all.

 

Yah, hmmm...

 

This does not seem to always be the case, as CalicoPenn pointed out.

 

For example, the Archdiocese of Minneapolis/St. Paul says:

The Archdiocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting (ACCS) is dedicated to promoting Duty to God in all scouting programs. The ACCS is a committee of the Archdiocese of St Paul and Minneapolis and is affiliated with the National Catholic Committee on Scouting (NCCS), an advisory to the Boy Scouts of America.

However, the Diocese of Madison, WI Catholic Committee on Scouting says:

The website is intended to assist those who are using the Boy Scouting and Girl Scouting programs as Catholic youth ministry in the Diocese of Madison, WI... The DMCCS operates programs and activities for youth in Girl Scouting, Boy Scouting and their adult Scout leaders, and promotes the programs and activities of the NCCS and NCCGSCF,

And the diocese of Lansing, MI says:

The Mission and Purpose of the Diocese of Lansing Catholic Committee on Scouting (DOLCCS) is to give guidance, vitality and leadership in the spiritual phase of Scouting to all Catholic Scouts and Scouters of the Diocese. The DOLCCS sees as its mission the constructive use of the program of the Boy Scouts of America, Girl Scouts USA, Camp Fire USA, and the American Heritage Girls as a viable form of youth ministry with the Catholic youth of our Diocese.

So just pickin' three state capitol cities across da upper Central Region, yeh see several different permutations.

 

Beavah

(This message has been edited by Beavah)

[ScoutNut]

>>"Instead it would be an announcement that in keepin' with da Church's mission and da Catholic character of the school, the school was no longer goin' to subsidize access to GSUSA programs. Parents are of course free to enroll their kids in whatever activities they want, but da GSUSA units would no longer meet at the school. Quietly, da school administration would no longer provide GSUSA access for recruiting or other school recognition. Instead, da school would announce a new charter with AHG, and AHG would meet at the school, and would be provided access for recruiting. In fact, Mrs. Jones, a well-liked 7th grade teacher would be da initial leader for the new AHG program, and here's the calendar of their activities for da coming year."

[SeattlePioneer]

Sometimes it's best to simply let sleeping dogs lie.

 

I wouldn't yank up a popular and highly functional program just to get back at a youth group with which I had a bone or two to pick.

 

This also explains my continuing support for BSA over the homosexual issue, of course.

[shortridge]

SP,

 

That's where we strongly disagree. You and your supporters see an end to the ban as destroying or yanking up the BSA program. Have you ever stopped to consider the opposite? Public opinion is trending heavily against you. The majority of young people - future parents - are fully accepting of gay people. Keeping the ban means Scouting will shrink to irrelevance within a few decades. It will become an exclusively and overtly religious program, and lose the broad appeal it once had.

 

Contrary to nldscout's unhinged assertions, we're trying to save the organization.

[SeattlePioneer]

Hello Shortridge,

 

 

I support BSA in it's current policy towards homosexual membership. Should BSA choose to change that policy, I will continue to support BSA.

 

Personally I see no need to change the policy. The real frontier for membership and growth for BSA is recruiting additional members from the mushrooming populations of Latino, African America and Asian populations, not homosexuals and their sympathizers.

 

The hysteria homosexuals and their sympathizers attach to BSAs policy is absurd, in my opinion. President Obama just got around to endorsing gay marriage about a month ago. It's ludicrous to be angry with BSA because its not following the fashions of the trendy left.

 

If BSA chooses to make changes to it's policy at some time in the future, I expect to conform to and support those changes just as I support BSA in its current policy choices.

[MomWhoCamps]

Not trying to fan the flames. I did find a couple of things with a search, however.

 

http://www.themichigancatholic.com/2012/08/little-lamps-of-faith/

 

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Girl-Scout-Troops-Banned-from-Church-137815843.html

[SeattlePioneer]

Hello AHGnBSAMom,

 

 

I am interested in a program like Cub Scouts rather than one that is mainly religious in nature like one of the links you provide:

 

http://www.themichigancatholic.com/2012/08/little-lamps-of-faith/

 

 

However, that's mainly a matter of what you do with the program I suspect.

 

Only about 20% or so of the families in the pack are parish members, and religious emphasis is an occasional prayer or grace plus providing families with information on religious awards, and participation in Scout Sunday for those interested.

 

One thing I do want to do is look over the AHG program and program material to see if it is compatible with the kind of thing I'd like to do.

 

What would be the best way to do that?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ScoutNut]

What a shame for those Girl Scouts from St Timothy school.

 

While losing their meeting place will not shut down the GSUSA Troops, it will make those girls feel like they have been betrayed by their church, and their school.

 

My suggestion to those girls would be to remember that those Troops are YOURS. Not your parent's, not the pastor's, but YOURS. Stand up for yourselves.

 

While they probably will not change this man's mind, it will help the girls to have their voices heard.

 

[Beavah]

it will make those girls feel like they have been betrayed by their church, and their school. My suggestion to those girls would be to remember that those Troops are YOURS. Not your parent's, not the pastor's, but YOURS. Stand up for yourselves.

[ScoutNut]

Sorry Beav, but a GSUSA Troop DOES belong to the girls. They might not physically own the unit, but in every other way it IS theirs.

 

The girls are the ones that run their Troop. Every Girl Scout Troop, no matter their age, has their own form of girl government.

 

Girl Scouting teaches girls self confidence. It teaches girls that they are strong and can do things for themselves. It teaches girls they have a voice, and can bring about change.

 

 

>>"If participatin' with GSUSA is really that important to the young ladies, the troop will do fine without preferential access to da Catholic parish and school.">" I suspect, however, that what really goes on is that girls from da Catholic parish and school join because they view it as though it were supported and sponsored by their school, not the other way around. Without that, they'll do somethin' else.">>

 

I very much doubt that the GS Troops at St Timothy school will disband, and reform/combine with other GS troops in the parish. Those other GS Troops are most likely based out of the public schools in the area, and the Girl Scouts at St Timothy school still go to school at St Timothy. There is no need to disband. They all still have their own Girl Scout Troops. They do not need the church's, or school's, approval for that.

 

However, what you do not seem to understand is that a parish school is rather like a large, extended, family. These Girl Scouts, even if they no longer meet at, or do service for St Timothy school/parish, are still students at the school, and part of the school parish family.

 

If, like at our Catholic parish school, there have been generations of Girl Scouts at St Timothy school. If there is a long standing tradition of Girl Scouting there. If the girls of St Timothy had been actively involved in their school, and parish, as Girl Scouts (wearing their uniform to class on meeting days, doing flag ceremonies for school, and parish events, volunteering, as Girl Scouts, at school, and parish events, attending mass in uniform, doing service projects, and more). If they see themselves as "St Timothy School Girl Scouts". Then, they are suddenly told, by the head of their school parish family, that none of that matters, and that they are not allowed to be Girl Scouts while in their church and school any more. That being a Girl Scout is suddenly somehow "bad".

 

You seem to think that the girls will not, should not, be affected by that. That they will simply shrug and move on to a different "extracurricular activity".

 

Not any of the Girl Scouts that I know.

 

 

[Peregrinator]

As I mentioned earlier - the Catholic Committee on Scouting is DIRECTLY tied to the BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA. BSA is even a part of it's symbol.

 

That is true of the National Committee but not of the various diocesan committees.

[Peregrinator]

It would be more likely for a Catholic Church to turn to Little Flowers as an alternative to Girl Scouting. The program is based on Catholic doctrine, and would be a better fit that AHG.

 

Little Flowers isn't a scouting program. Same can be said of the Blue Knights.

[SeattlePioneer]

I don't have a lot of familiarity with Girls Scout Troops, but as I understand it, most need new troops to be organized each year and the older ones dies off as the older girls grow out of them.

 

That suggests that the units for older girls might reasonably continue for their usual life, and a new AHG unit for younger girls slowly replace the Girl Scouts.

 

Personally I would prefer to avoid disrupting programs that girls and families have made a part of their lives.

[Beavah]

You seem to think that the girls will not, should not, be affected by that. That they will simply shrug and move on to a different "extracurricular activity".

 

Nah, I think it will be mildly disruptive for 'em. Some will continue with a troop that meets somewhere else, some won't. Some of those who continue will fade.

 

My point is a different one, eh? It's an institutional point of view. Despite da current girls feeling disrupted (and the extent of that feelin' I expect will depend more on da attitude of their parents), it will all blow over in relatively short order. Without access and visibility, after a few years there won't be much GSUSA involvement from da parish and parish school. A few scoutin' families will continue with non-parish-associated troops, da rest of the girls will do other things. Unless, of course, the parish offers an alternative program itself or in partnership with another organization. In which case in less than 5 years that will be da girls' program that almost all scouting-interested girls participate in.

 

Yah, yah, in an *unusually* strong GSUSA program with *unusually* vociferous parents, it might continue for a bit longer, until those parents' kids age out (or da parents pull 'em from the school). That'd be rare.

 

I feel for da congregation, though. They've been cut off from easy access to their cookie suppliers!

 

Beavah