Scouting News & Resources
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Catholic Scouting WireOctober 10, 2024NCCS Scholarships: application open now for 2025 awards!
NCCS sends the Catholic Scouting Wire newsletter to local and regional Catholic Scouting leaders and supporters the second Thursday of every month. We hope you find it useful! Please share your feedback with us at [email protected]. Make sure to note Catholic Scouting Wire in the subject line. And please share this email with other Scouters you think would find it valuable – just forward the email and ask people to subscribe using the Subscribe to the Catholic Scouting Wire here.
*********************************************Know a promising Catholic Scout who's a high school senior this year? Encourage that Scout to apply now!
NCCS will award thirteen college scholarships totaling $36,000 to service-oriented Catholic Scouts who are high school seniors graduating in 2025.
To be eligible to apply, a Scout must be a full-time high school senior, a practicing Catholic and be actively involved with a BSA Scout Troop, Venturing Crew or Sea Scout Ship. They must have earned the Eagle Scout, Summit Award or Quartermaster Award and the Ad Altare Dei, Pope Pius XII or Light is Life (Eastern Rite) Religious Emblem.
Encourage eligible Scouts you know to learn more and apply online now!
2025 NCCS College Scholarships open for application now:- Emmett J. Doerr Memorial Scout Scholarships: 1 – $5,000, 1 – $4,000, 1 – $3,000, 4 – $2,500 scholarships.
- Frank Parater Scholarship: 1 – $4,000
- Bill & Kay Davies Scholarship: 1 – $2,000
- Tony & Patrice Steenkolk Family Scholarships: 2 – $2,000
- Most Rev. Gerald “Padre” Gettelfinger Scholarship: 1 – $2,000
- Girskis Family Scholarship: 1 – $2,000
The application period closes on March 1 and awards are announced by June 1. Since 2005, NCCS has awarded a total of $272,000 in college scholarships to 118 service-oriented Scouts nationwide.The National Eucharistic Revival is in its third year of a three-year agenda: the Year of Mission. During this Year of Mission we are all encouraged to integrate our love for Christ into every aspect of our lives and to evangelize by spreading the Good News of Christ’s Eucharistic love and mercy in word and deed.Eucharistic Revival Activity Program
NCCS has developed a very useful means to promote the goals of the Year of Mission with the Eucharistic Revival Activity Program. Please use Christ’s love and mercy through the Eucharist as your theme for Catholic Scouting retreats and other Catholic Scouting events during the Year of Mission, utilizing the Eucharistic Revival Activity Program as your vehicle to attain your goals.Catholic Scouting Spotlight: Double Header!
Honoring a bishop for supporting Catholic Scouting
The Diocese of Victoria, Texas Catholic Committee on Scouting recently hosted an event to honor those who have contributed to the spiritual and social growth of the young people engaged in Catholic Scouting. Among those honored was Bishop Brendan J. Cahill, who received the St. George Award. The St. George Award is the highest honor for an adult who has made a significant contribution to Catholic Scouting in their diocese. Congratulations, Bishop Cahill!
Hosting a Catholic Camporee for the first time in decades
The Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis Catholic Committee on Scouting hosted their first Catholic Camporee in 40 years in early September. More than 150 Scouts and adults gathered at a local Scout camp for a weekend of Eucharistic adoration, confession, Mass, Rosary walks and plenty of outdoor activities. The Minnesota Knights of Columbus provided financial support to the Camporee. Find out more about how the local committee brought this event back after four decades.
Do you know of a Catholic Scout who has done something outstanding? Has your Catholic Scouting unit or diocesan/eparchial committee engaged in an activity that could be emulated by other units or committees? If so, please submit information and a photo to [email protected] and be sure to include Catholic Scouting Spotlight in the subject line.Key Dates nccs-bsa.org | nccsshop.org | catholicscouting.comNovember 14-16 - NCYC in Long Beach, California - learn more
February 8 - Scout Sunday - view ways to celebrate this day at your parish
March 1 - NCCS Scholarship application closes for 2025 - apply online now
April 24-27 - Membership Assembly in Charlotte, North Carolina - more details coming soon
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Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting
Quarterly Newsletter | Vol 6 No. 1 | Summer 2024Annual Scout Recognition Mass | Oct 12, 2024
Join us at St. Elizabeth Parish, in Pflugerville, where Vicar General, Rev. James Misko will recognize scouts from Scouts BSA, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, American Heritage Girls, Trail Life USA and Troops of St. George who earned a religious emblem or award in the previous year. Eagle Scouts, Gold Award, and Stars and Stripes recipients are invited to attend so we can celebrate their scouting achievements. Mass will begin at 9 a.m.
Do you know an adult scouter who gives of their time and talents to serve the spiritual needs of Catholic scouts? We would like to recognize them also at this event. Click here to nominate them today.Walking in Faith Hike
Sat. October 26
All scouts, scouting families and scout leaders are invited to join Fr. Will Rooney and the Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting for a 5-mile hike around Lake Georgetown on our journey to be apostles of faith.
The day will begin at 10 a.m. Bring your lunch and water bottle. All participants are asked to complete a consent form to participate in the event; parents are requested to accompany scouts on the hike. Forms and additional information can be found here.Mass at Lost Pines Scout Reserve
Scout Masses during summer camp at Lost Pines was very successful!! We are grateful to our participating priests, Fr. Bruce Nieli, Fr. Paolo Puccini, Fr. Tom Frank, and Fr. Jim Olnhausen and DCCS members for providing campers with the opportunity to hear the Good News and receive Jesus during their respective week of camp during the month of June.
Adult Scout Award Nominations
Appreciation is the recognition and enjoyment of the good qualities of someone or something. A method of showing our appreciation is to bestow well-deserved ‘thankyou’ awards to the adults in our Diocese who tirelessly give of their time, talent and treasure to the Catholic Scout youth within the Austin Diocese boundaries. Four (4) awards can awarded to deserving adults. Please think about the generous folks you know and determine for which award they might qualify. You will find a link to the award nomination forms above or under “Adult Awards” here on our website. Please check out these opportunities to recognize the kind folks in the Diocese of Austin who support and encourage the spiritual development of youth in the various Scouting programs. Please feel free to forward this to others who might know of a deserving individual. The deadline for submitting nominations is August 25th!
Lay Apostolate Formation & Religious Emblem Training
Are you interested in offering the religious emblem programs for your middle school / high school scouts? Guidelines of these programs suggest that the facilitator/mentor attend training for Lay Apostolate Formation and Religious Emblems. A description of the class can be found below. The next class is scheduled for October 26, 2024 at the Frank Fickett Scout Center in Austin. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.
Lay Apostolate Formation (LAF) has been developed for Scouters who seek to form and inform themselves as disciples of Christ. It is the first step toward qualifying to become a religious emblems counselor. Lay Apostolate Formation is the process by which Catholic Scouters create greater awareness of our role to "seek the kingdom of God by engaging in temporal affairs and by ordering them according to the plan of God." We will examine scouting as a form of youth ministry and our call to leadership, holiness, conversion, and worship through reflection on sacred scripture. Bring a Roman Catholic bible with you to the class.
Religious Emblem Counselor (REC) is for Catholic adults who wish to become certified as religious emblem counselors or any Catholic adult who assists in scouting. This process will prepare you to lead scouts (grades 6 and above) on a faith journey in Catholic spirituality so that they can earn the Catholic religious emblems.
In addition, we will review the requirements for the Ad Altare Dei and Pope Pius XII Roman Catholic Religious Emblems for Boy Scouts and Venturers, and other faith formation activities for girls and boys in Scouting as sponsored by the National Catholic Committee on Scouting and the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry {Footsteps of the American Saints, the Rosary and Marian activities}. The Light of Christ and Parvuli Dei Emblems for Cub Scouts will also be discussed. Learn about the Saint George Trek at Philmont and how to plan a beautiful Scout Sunday Mass in your parish.
Wood Badge 2024 | August 24-30 at Philmont!
Wood Badge is Scouting's high-level training, which provides leadership training, a deeper understanding of the What and Why of Scouting, and more.
We invite Scouters to join us this August in learning new skills and to gain experiences that can be leveraged for stronger Scouting units in an atmosphere of faith.
What better place to attend this training than the beautiful Philmont Scout Ranch.
August 24-30 at Philmont | Wood Badge 2024
Sept 5 | Nomination Deadline for Adult Awards
Oct 12 | Bishop Recognition Mass | St. Elizabeth Parish, Pflugerville, 9 a.m.
Oct 26 | Walking in Faith Hike
Oct 26 | LAF Training for Religious Education Counselors | Diocese of Austin Pastoral Center, Austin
Nov. 2 | DCCS Committee meeting | Pastoral Center, 10 a.m.
Stay up-to-date by visiting the Catholic Scouting website at www.austindiocese.org/scoutingevents
Visit these weblinks to stay up to date on all DCCS activities, both local and national.
The Bridge | The National Catholic Committee on Scouting (NCCS-BSA) quarterly newsletter
Catholic Scout Sprit | Austin DCCS Quarterly newsletter
Catholic Scouting | Resources for Catholic Leaders; The Catholic Scouting Wire
The Catholic Spirit | Diocese of Austin online newsletter
The Friday Message | A weekly email from the Diocese of Austin containing a message from the bishop, information about events, and resources the lay faithful of the diocese.
Copyright (C) 2024 Diocese of Austin. All rights reserved.
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Applications
Religious Emblems Intent to Begin Form
Application Instructions for Scout BSA, Cub Scout, and Venture Crew Emblems
Application Instructions for Girl Scouts and Camp Fire Religious Programs and Awards
Application Instructions for American Heritage Girls Religious Awards
Scouts BSA Chaplain Requirements Completion Log
Scouting Scholarships