acco40 95 Posted March 24, 2003 Share Posted March 24, 2003 I've been very active in the BSA program (Unit Commissioner, Cub Scout Den Leader (Tiger thru Webelos), ASM and SM but am fairly ignorant about Girl Scouts. All of her meetings are held directly after school which limits my involvement. Both of my boys have earned their religious awards (Light of Christ, Parvuli Dei, ad Altare Dei, etc.) but my 8 yr. old (2nd grade) daughter's Girl Scout leader is unaware of any similar program for GS. Can anyone lead me to the resources for the GS religious award programs? Thanks. Link to post Share on other sites
SR540Beaver 116 Posted March 24, 2003 Share Posted March 24, 2003 Go to the www.praypub.org website. This is the organization that handles the BSA religious awards. It is separate and independent from the BSA. BSA just recognizes their awards. Many other organizations utilize this program including GSA. The awards and requirements should be identical to what Cub/Boy Scouts do as it is PrayPub's program, not BSA's. Link to post Share on other sites
CubsRgr8 10 Posted March 24, 2003 Share Posted March 24, 2003 Apparently, the religious emblems program for RC GSA members is different from the one you're familiar with. I found information at: http://www.nfcym.org/v3/nccgscf/recognition.html. Your diocese office should have a staffer who coordinates the program for its member parishes. For most other denominations, the awards are the same for GSA/BSA and information can be found at: http://www.praypub.org. All too many leaders (in both GSA and BSA) are unaware of this great program that allows the scout to be recognized for fullfilling their Duty to God. Good luck to you and your daughter as you work on her first award!(This message has been edited by CubsRgr8) Link to post Share on other sites
acco40 95 Posted March 24, 2003 Author Share Posted March 24, 2003 Thank you. However, for some reason your link (which I believe is correct) did not work. When I went to the www.nfcym.org site and then navigated down all was well. Thanks again. Acco40 Link to post Share on other sites
ScoutNut 147 Posted March 24, 2003 Share Posted March 24, 2003 Call the Catholic Youth Organization in your Archdiocese, they will be able to give you info. You might also contact your Parish Youth Ministry office. Your daughter should be able to work on the Family of God program. This is for girls ages 7-9 or the Brownie level. Juniors (ages 9-11) I Live My Faith. Cadettes (ages 12-15) Marian Seniors (high school) Spirit Alive There used to be a Pualla (sp?) Maria program between the I Live My Faith & Marian, but that appears to have been removed. My girls have earned all 5 religious awards. They received the Spirit Alive award yesterday at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago! Sometimes information on these things are not shared well. The older leaders just assume that everyone knows, but that is not always the case. There is a lady I work with who is a Brownie leader in a neighboring town. She had no idea that there were religious awards her girls could earn. She said that her parish did not do anything like that. However, at both ceremonies this year at our Cathedral (BS & GS), the Pastor of her parish was honored for his contributions to Scouting! Link to post Share on other sites
yarrow 10 Posted April 14, 2003 Share Posted April 14, 2003 These are not pushed much for the girls in USGSA as they are in BSA. My two seniors recently earned their God in Life along with their brother. One girl wears the 3/4 " pin and the other liked the medallion better. Not as much work as the God and Country in my opinion. Link to post Share on other sites
AnneinMpls 10 Posted September 2, 2003 Share Posted September 2, 2003 The Religious Awards available to Girl Scouts are detailed in each of the Leader Handbooks, which is a really stupid place to put the information, because Leaders are proscribed from having direct involvement with the Religious Award programs in their Leader capacity. They really ought to put the information in the *Girls'* Handbooks, so it is accessible to the girls and their families. Link to post Share on other sites
ScoutNut 147 Posted September 2, 2003 Share Posted September 2, 2003 "Leaders are proscribed from having direct involvement with the Religious Award programs in their Leader capacity." Not necessarily true. Leaders can and should tell their girls about the religious awards program. They should also help their girls find information if they are interested. But the religious awards programs are NOT Scout programs. They are organized and run by the individual religious organizations to encourage spiritual growth in their youth members. BSA and GSUSA recognizes these programs, but they do NOT run them or teach them. Most of the programs should be mentored by either a member of the religion or a member of the girls family. In most cases the GS Troop Leader is not qualified to mentor the various programs. The most they can do is to make the information available to the girls and their families. I know I wouldn't feel either qualified or comfortable trying to mentor a Buddhist religious award! Link to post Share on other sites
NWScouter 9 Posted September 2, 2003 Share Posted September 2, 2003 I have been a counselor for over 100 youth in Cubs, Boy Scouts , Brownies, Girl Scouts and Campfire in the God and Country programs. It is not inappropriate for a Scout Leader to counsel for the award in his own faith. I would not counsel but encourage them to go for one their faith. I advised a young Girls Scout that wanted to be with her friend (a Sunday School student of mine) in a God and Family class that we held, to check out at her parish for the Live My Faith (Roman Catholic) award. I have counseled those of different denominations than mine (and different congregations of mine own), that use the PRAYs God and Country program, but only after their pastors approval and agreement to support, review and sign the application. My pastor has agreed to work with those who are not active in a congregation and we will present it at our church with or with out the Lutheran bar on it. Those interested in running a religious award program should look up the various denominationally based scouting groups. Most have aids to help assist leaders. Link to post Share on other sites
AnneinMpls 10 Posted September 3, 2003 Share Posted September 3, 2003 Apologies folks - I may have overstated things - it gets squishy in my mind sometimes which policies are local and which are from GSUSA. Here in my local council, we are required to sign the council's "Principles of Inclusiveness" which prohibits any specifically religious activity at a Girl Scout event. Uh huh...I live and work in a Council where we are forbidden to sing Johnny Appleseed. I abide by this prohibitions at all Council events. Our troop elected to have a moment of silence before meals which we do at all troop functions whether or not we get frowned at a bit. Religious services are no longer provided at our Council's resident camps - this is a *big* change from when I was a Brownie in this Council. I had to make the drive myself to pick up and sign out my kiddo to bring her to Mass. As a member of the Council's training staff, that's all I'm going to say on the subject. Peace to you and yours, Anne in Mpls Link to post Share on other sites
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