Module Three: Catholic Scouting Emblems

In assisting a scout in earning a religious award, you can take on one or more of the roles outlined below.

There are religious medals that are designed to be earned within the family, with the parents as the “counselors”.  Examples of these are Family of God, Light of Christ, and God is Love. When a parent works with their own child, there is no diocesan ministerial role or youth protection requirement.

The unit coordinator promotes the programs and:

A coordinator may not work directly with Scouts, but provides support to the scouts and families working on award programs.  The coordinator should also be informed on the progress of scouts in their unit working on the higher level award programs, and stand ready to assist.

Committee members also act in a coordinator role for the family based award programs. 

The counselor leads the activity with the award candidates in accordance with the award program. The counselor should help the youth understand the program and how it affects them. The counselor is a guide, not only a lecturer, but helps provide insight, responds to questions, and provides direction. 

A small group of scouts is desirable, but a counselor may work with an individual scout.

The facilitator works with some of the higher level award candidates, such as the Pope Pius XII, to help them work as a small group or community. These awards are specifically designed to be completed in a group setting. For these emblem requirements, the facilitator’s responsibility is to observe, guide, and help the candidates to ask questions and seek answers rather than provide ready-made answers for them.

The requirements and the award manuals were designed with specific attention to age levels and spiritual growth. The Boy Scout emblems and manuals are designed by the National Catholic Committee on Scouting (NCCS). The Girl Scout and Camp Fire emblems and manuals are designed by the National Federation of Catholic Youth Ministries (NFCYM). The Trail Life and American Heritage Girls program have integrated the award curriculum in their primary program. 

The requirements for each award are set forth in the manuals. A counselor or moderator is not allowed to waive any requirements or make substantive changes. Most awards, except the family-based programs, require that the scout meet with a Board of Review or Panel of Assurance. This is explained further under the section on “The Steps Leading to Earning a Religious Award”.

Although the requirements for the religious emblems cannot be changed, modifications and adaptations are allowed to permit the adult counselor or facilitator to present the program to any scout with special needs. In the case of educational disability, the Board of Review or Panel of Assurance should be made aware of the person's disability prior to the meeting so they may fairly evaluate the progress made by the scout. The Committee may be able to provide some suggestions in modifications for a specific need.