National Catholic Committee on Scouting®

Pope to Scouts and Guides: Let the Gospel be your ‘navigator’ in life - Vatican News Pope Leo XIV encourages Catholic scouts and guides to deepen their commitment to faith, service, and Christian witness as he receives members of the ...

Happy Independence Day

From Bill Guglielmi, National Chair

As Catholic Scouts, we live this legacy every single day through the Scout Oath’s promise of “duty to God and country.” Our founders understood that authentic freedom flourishes when paired with virtue, faith, and service to others — the very values Catholic Scouting America and the NCCS exist to instill in the next generation of leaders.

In his letter to the American people this week, Pope Leo XIV reminded us that this anniversary is “an invitation not only to celebrate the nation’s remarkable journey, but also to reflect upon the responsibilities” we bear to one another and to those who come after us. That’s exactly what Scouting teaches — citizenship isn’t just a privilege, it’s a call to service.

Archbishop Paul Coakley, President of the USCCB, has likewise urged the Church to “put out into the deep” in this moment — to move beyond comfort and meet the challenges of our time with hope and courage. That’s the same spirit that sends our Scouts out on service projects, into leadership roles, and toward lives of faith-filled citizenship.

This Independence Day, let’s celebrate not only where our nation has been, but recommit — as Scouts, as Catholics, and as Americans — to building a future marked by liberty, justice, and love of neighbor.

God bless our Scouts, God bless the Church, and God bless the United States of America!