Catholic Activities for Scouts

Both Boy Scouting and Girl Scouting emphasize a duty to God while allowing the scout to follow the faith of their family’s choosing.  Many faith denominations offer a religious emblem program for scouts and other youth organizations.  Catholic scouts have the opportunity to earn religious emblems and patches via programs offered by the National Catholic Committee on Scouting (for members of the BSA) and the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry (Girl Scouts, 4H and Campfire Girls and Boys).  In the Diocese of Superior these programs are promoted and administered by the Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting. 

The purpose of the Catholic emblems and patch programs is to bring individual scouts into a deeper, fuller relationship with Christ and the Catholic tradition.  Each emblem addresses a different facet of the faith journey.  Each patch focuses on distinctly Catholic people and perspectives helping the scout to develop a Catholic identity.

The Diocese of Superior Catholic Committee on Scouting (DCCS) was formed more than 40 years ago.  The committee consists of Catholic adult scouters interested in promoting the religious emblems and religious patch programs of the National Catholic Committee on Scouting (NCCS) and the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry (NFCYM).  Over the years, the committee has made numerous presentations at the diocesan and parish levels. They participate in award ceremonies across the diocese and, when possible, host a diocesan-level awards presentation in conjunction with the Bishop.

The DCCS also works with diocesan offices to supply chaplains at the Boy Scout camps within the Diocese of Superior.  Over the years, seminarians and deacons have spent the summer at camp, offering prayer services, meal prayers, counseling to individuals as needed, promoting participation in the emblem and patch programs, and being a living example of Catholic vocations.