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DeaconLance

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Posts posted by DeaconLance

  1. Yes the Order of the Arrow has seperate events for its members.  Aside from the Ordeal weekend required to become a member no other events are mandatory. At the Ordeal level a Scout is being recognized by his troop as an exemplary Scout worthy of recognition by the OA which is Scouting’s National Honor Society.  The Scout is expected to continue giving exemplary service to his unit and pay his lodge dues.  Lodges will have service and fellowship weekends for members and Sections (groups of several lodges) will have a yearly Conclave but these are opportunities not obligations.

  2. 3 hours ago, SiouxRanger said:

    I would really like to see sources and statistics for this.

    From my experience, opportunities for abuse in children's sports seem to be much less than those in Scouting camping experiences.

    Kids leave their parents' car, go to the field, play, return, and leave. Where is the time for things to go wrong?

    Scouts are gone from Friday afternoon until Sunday morning.  Two nights. Lots of time window for abuse to happen.

    You didn’t pay attention to the Penn State scandal?  Many youth sports have week long camps and weekend trips requiring overnight accommodations.  The opportunities were and are there.

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  3. 21 hours ago, TuckahoeJoe said:

    I am COR and CC of two units at a Catholic parish in Harrisburg.  The parish will not renew in 2024.  Catholic Mutual recommended and the Harrisburg diocese accepted the two options of 1) charter with complete oversight or 2) disassociate if unable to provide complete oversight.  Catholic Mutual is the same insurance company that stipulated in the bankruptcy proceeding that it would promote scouting in Catholic entities through 2036.  

    Catholic Mutual is also raising the premium of any parish that charters scouting units.  Unfortunately, these increased costs resulted in the decision.

     

     

     

    I am COR for Pack/Troop dropped by a Roman Catholic parish and picked up by my Byzantine Catholic parish.  My pastor voluntarily not only paid the increase but asked for an additional 1 million in coverage.  We are not a large or wealthy parish so it can’t have cost all that much to do.  I think many pastors/bishops who disagree with BSA are using this liability/insurance cost as an excuse.  Note in this case the bishop did not say parishes couldn’t charter units.  The pastor decided he didn’t want to charter the units after we met with him to ask if the Pack could go co-Ed.

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  4. On 5/16/2023 at 3:41 PM, vol_scouter said:

    The mission of the BSA does not specify the program used to instill the values of the Scout Oath and Law so STEM programs are a valid method of fulfilling the mission.  If offering STEM programs to non-Scouts, the council could be using the experience as a recruiting tool so could support the mission of the council.

    It would be the BSA’s congressional charter that specifies the outdoor program.  Trying to be everything to everybody does not work.

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  5. So is this:

    The Code of Canon Law promulgated by Pope John Paul II in 1983 contains eighty-four canons that call for or permit legislative action by the episcopal conference. Since that time the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (designated the National Conference of Catholic Bishops prior to July 1, 2001) has taken action on twenty-nine canons, thereby establishing particular legislation for the dioceses of the United States.

    This website contains a compilation of the complementary norms approved by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. In some instances the bishops voted to retain existing norms or regulations, with due regard for any change or modification warranted by changes in the revised Code; in other instances they revised existing norms or created new norms where necessary. Those actions requiring recognitio or review by the Apostolic See, in accord with canon 455, §2, have been reviewed by the appropriate Roman dicastery.

    It is our hope that this compilation will be a useful resource to bishops, canonists, chancery officials, and pastoral ministers. It is our intent to update this website periodically as additional particular legislation is established for the United States.

    https://www.usccb.org/committees/canonical-affairs-church-governance/complementary-norms#tab--canon-276-§2-3º-permanent-deacons-and-the-liturgy-of-the-hours

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  6. On 12/5/2022 at 11:37 PM, T2Eagle said:

    Nope, Sentinel is correct, Bishops answer only to the Pope, or higher.  The USCCB can vote on recommended actions, and a whole lot of pressure would be brought to bare on any diocese dissenting.  For that reason it is only really important matters that reach that kind of action.  But in the end, the Bishop who heads the diocese runs the diocese as they will.

    Not true.  The bishops are answerable to their metropolitans and conferences in a limited fashion and are also bound by canon law and all nations have complimentary canons called particular law.  If they can have particular law on leasing property (they do) they can have one on sponsoring units.  Would they do it?  Unlikely, unless more lawsuits crop up.

  7. On 12/1/2022 at 9:17 PM, Sentinel947 said:

    I'm willing to be corrected, but I don't think the USCCB can do that. I'm pretty sure every Bishop and Archbishop is sovereign within their diocese on issues like this. It isn't a matter of doctrine or church teaching. It would be like if the USSCB tried to make a binding decision that every diocese needed to have a policy about parish youth basketball leagues.

    Since it involves youth protection and the Church is self-insured I think they could if the lawyers and underwriters were recommending it.

  8. On 11/29/2022 at 2:37 PM, Armymutt said:

    One key difference is that there is no national Catholic authority.  Each diocese can determine how they will proceed.  Ours is continuing with business as usual.  

    Not true.  The USCCB could decide to vote and adopt a national policy that each bishop would be obliged to implement.  Not sure what it would take for that to happen though.

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  9. I guess I am flabbergasted that after all this the BSA and every state isn’t requiring background checks and clearances.  6 years ago Pennsylvania by law requires any one 18 and above involved with youth organizations to have:

    1.  A State Police background check

    2.  PA Childline clearance (no accusations of abuse)

    3.  If you have not lived in PA for 10 years FBI background check.

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  10. Local Media Statement – Trust Contributions

    September 16, 2021

     

     

    Attributable to the Laurel Highlands Council 

     

    The national organization of the BSA continues to work toward the dual imperatives of its financial restructuring: equitably compensate survivors and ensure the future of Scouting’s vital mission. As part of the Boy Scouts of America’s financial restructuring, the specific contributions each local council will make to help fund the Trust for survivors was filed with the Court. These figures were determined through a combination of information filed in the claims process and what local councils could meaningfully contribute while ensuring Scouting can continue in their areas.

     

    Our council participated in this process and our contribution was determined to be $5,972,147, which will be a cash contribution.

    The Laurel Highlands Council is legally separate and distinct from the national organization. Our camps, properties, and local donations are controlled by our council. We share in the BSA’s commitment to equitably compensate survivors of past abuse. We carefully reviewed how we can fund our contribution to the compensation Trust while ensuring that Scouting can continue to serve youth, families, and communities in the Laurel Highlands Council for generations to come. Specifically, we have taken steps to fund our contribution from an unrestricted endowment fund.

     

    It is important to note that restricted donations can only be used for their designated purposes and are legally protected so that they are used as the donor specified. Local donations through Friends of Scouting (FOS) go straight to supporting Scouting in our communities today; these donations are used in real time and are critical to maintaining local operations.

     

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  11. 46 minutes ago, ThenNow said:

    I know why we need phones for safety purposes and adult connection to work and family, but why does a Scout need a phone at camp? I’m glad I couldn’t search the web for lashing or Barred Owl mating calls or reflector oven biscuits or raccoon scat identification or any one of a 1000++ other video tutorials I could now fetch up. For me, as both a Scout and camp staffer, seems it would have been totally disruptive (and even destructive) of the positive things I took away from camping, Summer Camp particularly. No?

    Scoutbook, the Scout Handbook, Merit Badge pamphlets are all digital now.  It’s 2021, phones are a tool and reference.

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  12. 47 minutes ago, John-in-KC said:

    My two cents:  If she donated the property and built the building, and the Council opts to rename them, then the Council owes her heirs the money back, with interest equal to the annual rates of inflation. 
     

    It’s the right thing to do. 

    Why?  Was it a condition of the donation?  If not, goodbye Schott.  Lots of people donate to Scouts without having stuff named after them.

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  13. 15 hours ago, elitts said:

    I suspect this is simply a hopeful delusion.  Lawyers have been trying to do this same thing with Catholic diocese for the last decade or so and still haven't managed to pierce that veil.  And i don't think anyone would argue that the Vatican has control over the assignment of priests and bishops.

    Rome certainly has control over the assignment of bishops.  

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  14. 16 minutes ago, InquisitiveScouter said:

    If everyone can be "elected", then there is no bestowing of honor.  Nor any incentive for a Scout to change his behavior/model others so as to be worthy of selection.

    I disagree.  The unit Scouts can still not vote for a candidate thereby showing they were undeserving.  I have seen it happen.  Under the old system you might have all completely deserving Scouts but only 50% could be elected.  If the purpose of the Order is explained well and no pressure exerted on the Scouts I find they vote for who deserves it and don’t vote for those who don’t.

  15. 2 hours ago, Kudu said:

    Keep in mind that the above reference is to Baden-Powell's Patrol System, not the Patrol Method.  

    Two relevant differences:

    1)  There are no middle managers in Baden-Powell's "System," no SPL, no ASPLs, no JASMs, no TGs, nor anyone other than Patrol Leaders with a vote in what Americans call the PLC.  In other words, ONLY the Patrol Leaders run the Troop.   This means that the most gifted outdoor Scouts rise (yes, are appointed to) the position of Patrol Leader, as opposed to the tendency in the USA to regard it as an entry-level "Position of Responsibility."  In Baden-Powell's System, there are no POR requirements.

    2)  For Free Range outdoor kids the "Adventure" of Scouting is to get out on the trail, especially without adult helicopters.   This is the fundamental experience in Baden-Powell's system, to get the Patrols out on Patrol -- and likewise for William "Green Bar Bill" Hillcourt's "Patrol Leader Training" http://www.inquiry.net/patrol/green_bar/index.htm and his Wood Badge http://www.inquiry.net/traditional/wood_badge/index.htm

    So, one secret "to just stand back and let the magic happen," is to

    a) Announce a rugged backpack campout.  This will weed out kids who are in Scouts just to get Eagle on their resume, as well as their helicopter parents.

    b) If necessary, let the Scouts divide themselves into two ad hoc Patrols, the more rugged of which will hike to a set destination without adults.  The other, usually less mature, might hike a shorter route to the same destination, but with adults trailing a mile or so behind.   For the first time, I would appoint the two most gifted natural leaders to the rugged Patrol, and let them work out the actual dynamics between them as they go.  Note that the more rugged Patrol will likely include a few gung-ho smaller Scouts.

    c)  At the agreed destination, the two Patrols camp Baden-Powell's 300 feet apart, likewise for the adults

    At the end of the weekend these members of the Troop (including the adults) will have experienced the Patrol experience that once made Scouting so popular.  

    Now, how to integrate these Scouts into a BSA Troop is a different question 😕

    Yours at 300 feet,

    Kudu

     

    BP’s system had a Troop Leader=SPL though it was optional and only seen necessary for a Troop with many patrols.

  16. The last official BSA recommended sequence from 1979:

    Honor Medal

    Silver Buffalo

    Silver Antelope

    Silver Beaver

    District Award of Merit

    Order of the Arrow Distinguished Service Award

    Medal of Merit

    Eagle

    Quartermaster

    Silver

    Youth Religious Emblem

    Adult Religious Emblem

    Other Scout

    Scouter's Key 

    Scouter Training Award 

    Den Leader Training Award

    Den Leader Coach Training Award

    https://www.sageventure.com/history/knothist/

     

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