National News

National Catholic Scouting Group Has New Name, But Same Mission

Paula Katinas
By · Senior Reporter
Published August 13, 2026  12:12pm EDT
Scouts attend Sunday Mass at the 2026 National Jamboree at Summit Bechtel Reserve in Glen Jean, W.Va., July 26, 2026. Over 2,000 Catholic Scouts gather for Mass in the mountains of West Virginia. Faith is the first of the core principles which they hold dear, so they joyfully observe their Sunday obligation while participating in the Scouting jamboree. (Photo: OSV News/courtesy Catholic Scouting America)

An organization that works closely with Scouting America (formerly the Boy Scouts of America) to draw young people closer to the Catholic faith has taken on a new name to simplify things for families, according to its leadership.   

The National Catholic Committee on Scouting is now known as Catholic Scouting America.  

“We wanted to make the name more family-friendly and make it more understandable,” William Guglielmi, national chairman of Catholic Scouting America, told The Tablet. “When I travel around the country and I mention that I am from the National Catholic Committee on Scouting, people’s eyes glaze over.  

“We’re rebranding in order for people to understand what we do.” 

RELATED: In West Virginia Mountains, Over 2,000 Catholic Scouts Gather for Mass

While the group has a new name, leaders stressed that the organization’s mission remains the same — to promote the Catholic faith and train the leaders of tomorrow. 

In addition to regular scouting activities, the organization offers more than 60 faith-based activities, such as teaching scouts how to pray the rosary, teaching them about the lives of American saints, and helping them research Marian feasts celebrated in the U.S.  

It also awards five different emblems to scouts, including the Light for Christ emblem for Cub Scouts and the Pope Pius XII emblem for young men discerning the priesthood.  

According to a study by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate, 31% of Catholic priests ordained in 2026 were scouts when they were boys. 

“This rebranding is about more than a name,” Guglielmi said. “It is about making our mission visible and accessible to every Catholic family in America.”  

RELATED: Bishop Robert Brennan Celebrates Mass with Catholic Scouts at Summer Camp

The new moniker also simplifies things, according to Father Mark Carr. 

“Catholic Scouting America communicates who we are and what we do in a single breath — faith, service, and a commitment to forming the next generation of Catholic leaders,” Father Carr, the organization’s national chaplain, said in a statement. 

According to Catholic Scouting America, as of 2024, there were 130,888 active Catholic scouts across the 194 U.S. Catholic dioceses. 

“Scouting,” he said, “has always been a powerful expression of Catholic values in action.”