I’ve been very impressed with a friend and fellow Girl Scout leader. I probably don’t tell her enough.
She is inspiring in her love for the girls in her scout troop and for the girls at our parish. And what I love most is the legacy she wants to leave with her girls.
Skills, yes she wants to teach them. But she also wants to leave a legacy of faith.
This year, her Brownies are deviating from a “traditional” secular scouting year. Instead of working on badges through Girl Scouts of the USA, they are instead working in earning their Family of God award and a special patch program on the corporal works of mercy.
Service has long been a part of scouting, but my friend is leaving an imprint that service to others is not a one-time event, it’s just what we do.
The corporal works of mercy patch program is a new patch available through the National Catholic Committee on Scouting organization, but it’s one that presents and recognizes values that date back to biblical times. This patch is available to all scouts, both Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, of all ages and faiths.
To earn the patch, scouts need to learn about the corporal works of mercy through reading the Bible and through research of available programs and services in their community. Most importantly, once they learn about the needs of their neighbors, they have to serve.
Read the full requirements here.
How have your scouts helped others who are in need? Share your ideas below!
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Interesting! I have been debating on whether or not to put my girls in Girl Scouts again this year. Wish our leaders would take up a mission like this one.
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I think it’s worth doing these regardless with your girls. We’ve done other faith patches with my daughter, in a troop setting and on our own, and interestingly it is a great way to evangelize. (You know how often everyone looks at the back of vests.) We have saint patches and even a Divine Mercy Sunday patch mixed in with her other scout patches. It’s just part of who we are!
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Awesome!
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keeping Jesus’ commandments – always a good way to start 😀
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Very interesting! I’ve never participated in Girl Scouts, so this is really good to read and understand more of what lessons are taught.
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it’s been a while since i’ve been a Girl Scout – i don’t even remember….
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What a great legacy to leave. I didn’t even know that was available through the scouting program. Great to hear!
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[…] 8. Teaching Corporal Works of Mercy to Our Scouts […]
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My daughter attends religion class weekly and this was their main focus during lent! interesting…covered most of the requirements.
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I love that she is putting her faith first. It will leave a lasting legacy with those girls. I still remember my 3rd grade Sunday school teacher and the message of love and faith she shared with us.
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I like this list of works of mercy because they are prime examples of the way that Jesus lived during His time on earth. Jesus spent His time investing in people, which is the example that we should all follow.
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[…] Earn the Year of Mercy or corporal works of mercy patch. […]
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[…] about and live the Works of Mercy. They will learn about the spiritual and corporal works of mercy and create a service project […]
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[…] those of you unfamiliar with the spiritual or corporal works of mercy,they are Biblically based concepts on caring for physical or spiritual needs of others. (Remember […]
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Clicked on link to Corporal Works of Mercy Patch & got a “Site Not Found” message. could you e-mail the requirements to me, please? Where do I buy the patches?
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Anna, it looks like they’ve updated their site. Visit http://nccs-bsa.org/index.php/corporal-works-of-mercy
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