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The St. Louis Archbishop is upset with the Girl Scouts, claiming they are too far away from Catholic values. He has written a letter to his flock encouraging parishes to dump the Girl Scouts in favor of other organizations.
Quote:
Dear Priests, Scout Leaders and Faithful of the Archdiocese.
For several years, the Archdiocese of St. Louis, along with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, has been investigating concerns regarding Girls Scouts USA (GSUSA). These concerns also extend to the parent organization of GSUSA, the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS). They include, but are not limited to:
1. WAGGGS’ continued promotion of contraception and “abortion rights” on behalf of its girl members, the majority of whom are minors
2. Financial contributions from GSUSA to WAGGGS, based on number of registered GSUSA members
3. GSUSA resources and social media highlight and promote role models in conflict with Catholic values, such as Gloria Steinem and Betty Friedan.
4. Organizations that GSUSA promotes and partners with are conflict with Catholic values, such as Amnesty International, Coalition for Adolescent Girls, OxFam and more. This is especially troubling in regards to sex education and advocacy for “reproductive rights” (i.e. abortion and contraceptive access, even for minors)
I was a girl scout a long time ago and know women who continue to volunteer as scout leaders even though their children are grown. They do it for the girls and are not out highlighting and promoting the concerns expressed by the archbishop. Most girls do not continue with the Girl Scouts through high school. After elementary school there is also a drop in participation with the junior high/middle school age group. I personally hope that older Girl Scouts will be able to discuss these issues amongst themselves with adult leadership. Girls need safe communities in which to discuss their bodies and related issues.
Of course the Catholic Church, like any other organization, has the right to promote their values and choose groups that do so. The Catholic version of Girl Scouts is called Little Flowers Girls' Club I looked at the page and it strikes me as a watered down version of GSA. (The name sounds too much like Little Flower Girls' Club, which makes them sound like their goal is to be flower girls at weddings, hardly a goal to empower girls to become strong women. Yes, I know that's not why they chose it, but I'd think someone would have though to choose another name.)
He closes the letter by saying:
Quote:
Therefore, I am asking each pastor that allows Girl Scout troops to meet on parish property to conduct a meeting with troop leadership to review these concerns and discuss implementing alternative options for the formation of our girls. Our primary obligation is to help our girls grow as women of God. Several alternative organizations exist, many of which have a Catholic or Christian background. For more information on each of these organizations and a more detailed listing of ongoing concerns, please visit archstl.org/scouting. I ask that you carefully study each organization and strongly consider offering one of these programs in your parish instead of Girl Scouts.
Effective immediately, I am disbanding the Catholic Committee on Girl Scouts and instead forming a Catholic Committee for Girls Formation that will be charged with ministry to all girls in various organizations. While continuing to serve our Catholic girls involved in various scouting programs, this committee will also reflect our ongoing commitment to educating and forming all young women.
I am aware that many of our young women are active in Girl Scouts and any action taken against the organization affects them first. To aid in this process, the Catholic Youth Apostolate is available to offer assistance in helping your parish. They are continuing to strategize new Catholic formation programs to address the spiritual, emotional and personal well-being of all Catholic girls.
As I've noted elsewhere, if an archbishop is all bent out of shape over the Girl Scouts, that's a pretty strong indication that the Girl Scouts are doing good things...
The Catholic version of Girl Scouts is called Little Flowers Girls' Club I looked at the page and it strikes me as a watered down version of GSA. (The name sounds too much like Little Flower Girls' Club, which makes them sound like their goal is to be flower girls at weddings, hardly a goal to empower girls to become strong women. Yes, I know that's not why they chose it, but I'd think someone would have though to choose another name.)
It establishes right out the chute that they want their girls socialized to be fragile, diminutive and in need of protection from and submission to men.
Certainly not scouts or guides, which is just about the opposite image.
Fundamentalist ideologues do not like empowered, thinking women.
Or empowered, thinking men.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RonkonkomaNative
They like their women submissive, barely educated at home, having babies.
They like their men the same way, minus the "at home having babies" part.
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