NATIONAL MEMBERSHIP INITIATIVE

"Duty to God"
Promotion and Recognition Patch

Background

Our new National Membership Initiative program with the theme "Scouting as Youth Ministry" is exciting and it is important that we continue to create even more excitement as this program develops and unfolds. "Duty to God" is a phrase Scouting has strongly endorsed. These words reaffirm our commitment to the important precepts of Scouting - the Scout Oath and the Scout Law. The twelfth point of the Scout Law is, "A Scout is Reverent." In recent years, as the Catholic Church more fully developed its apostolate to youth, it became known as Youth Ministry. Scouting IS a significant part of this ministry. We are espousing the same values with Catholic Scouting as is being done in families and the Catholic Church. As Scout leaders and church laypersons, it is our obligation to continue this growth, and expand our outreach to more sponsoring organizations and eventually, more youth.

The Patch

The National Catholic Committee on Scouting has created a unique patch to commemorate the Catholic Membership Initiative. The patch is not only colorful, but also beautifully fully embroidered, showing symbols of our Catholic roots -crosier, cross, shield, youth ministry commitment intertwined with the Boy Scout logo and the "Duty to God" pledge. This is something every youth member and Scouter would be proud to wear proclaiming their involvement with this program. It is a wonderful endorsement from our members and would certainly be admired by those not yet affiliated with our organization.

Use of the Patch

There are countless ways to use this patch to promote "Scouting as Youth Ministry." Diocesan and Unit Committees are not restricted by any national rules and may present them for many reasons. The following are suggestions as to who might be ideal recipients and wearers of this patch:

• Each youth starting on, working on, or completing a religious emblem.
• Each youth and adult member of a Pope Paul VI unit.
• Each youth and adult member completing a service project or attending a retreat event.
• Each youth and adult member of a National Gold Medallion Winner or Regional Finalist.
• Each youth participant in the St. George Trek.
• Each person contacted to start a new unit such as clergy, laypeople, KC members, etc.
• Each adult member completing a new phase of training.
• Units present their own clergy, youth ministers, formation directors and others involved in youth ministry.
• All religious emblems counselors and members of the Diocesan Committee.

There are many other possibilities of recipients, and they are limited only by your imagination.

John Ribar
Membership Initiative Chair
1-502-425-2504
Ribarrr@aol.com

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