Bishop cuts ties with Boy Scouts over gay leaders
BISMARCK, ND, August 5, 2015 (LifeSiteNews) -- As faith organizations across
the United States grapple with the Boy Scouts of America’s decision to allow
openly homosexual Scout leaders, one Catholic bishop is drawing a clear line in
the sand.
Bishop David Kagan of Bismarck, North Dakota, said he regretted
having to make the decision, yet, “in conscience as the Chief Shepherd of the
Diocese of Bismarck, I cannot permit our Catholic institutions to accept and
participate directly or indirectly in any organization, which has policies and
methods, which contradict the authoritative moral teachings of the Catholic
Church.”
Bishop Kagan pulled all diocesan organizations from the Boy
Scouts August 3, saying in a statement that the Boy Scouts’ decision to allow openly
gay adults into leadership positions had been expected, and that
the religious exemption in the Scouts’ resolution fell short in providing the
needed protection for Catholic entities that sponsor troops.
“While there are indications that the BSA has a religious
organization exception, which each local troop could invoke, that will provide
no protection for any of our parishes and/or schools, which sponsor troops,”
Bishop Kagan said. “Thus, effective immediately, the Catholic Church of the
Diocese of Bismarck and each and every one of its parishes, schools and other
institutions, is formally disaffiliated with and from the Boy Scouts of
America.”
The Boy
Scouts decision
The Boy Scouts announced July 27 that its National Executive Board had
removed the national restriction on openly gay adult leaders and employees
effective immediately. There was no mention in the Boy Scouts’ announcement of
protection for religious groups from being compelled to accept a homosexual
leader, rather it said individual troops can still choose their own leaders and
that religiously-affiliated troops can apply their beliefs as criteria for
leader selection.
The controversial move follows its contentious 2013 decision to lift its ban on homosexual members after
years of pressure from homosexual advocates and corporate sponsors.
That policy went into effect in 2014.
Bishop David Kagan: "I
cannot permit our Catholic institutions to accept and participate directly or
indirectly in any organization … which contradict the authoritative moral
teachings of the Catholic Church."
The removal of the ban met with significant
opposition from
religious groups and scouts who wanted the organization to uphold the values
that had defined the organization for more than 100 years. The Boy Scout Oath states among other things that scouts will serve God
and remain morally upright.
Catholic
scouting committee has ‘strong concern’ but wants to keep troops
Bishop Kagan went further than many other bishops and the
national Catholic scouting organization, which is clinging to the assurance
that Catholic organizations can continue to choose their own leaders.
The National Catholic Committee on Scouting (NCCS), which advises the Boy Scouts and works to foster a
relationship between the Scouts and the Catholic Church in the U.S., and also
works with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops on scouting, called
on Catholic chartered groups not to leave the Boy Scouts but also indicated
“strong concern about the practical implications” of lifting the ban.
In a letter to members the day the ban was lifted, the NCCS
said, “It is not entirely clear how these rights will be squared with previous
policy changes the Boy Scouts have made, or how they will work in practice, but
it appears that the resolution respects the needs of Catholic chartered
organizations in the right to choose leaders whose character and conduct are
consistent with those of Catholic teaching.
Charleston Bishop Robert Guglielmone, who sits on the NCCS
executive board, expressed “cautious optimism” for the continued use of Boy
Scout programs in Catholic youth ministry.
“We’re willing to see how this policy can work and how we can
remain consistent with our Catholic teaching and continue to charter troops
with the Boy Scouts of America,” the bishop said in a Catholic News agency
report. “We think we can do that.”
According to discussions between the NCCS and the Scouts, the
bishop said, issues of sexuality and sexual conduct should be left in the hands
of parents and churches.
“We’re just going to have to see how that all plays out,” said Bishop Guglielmone. “Certainly, we hope that that’s exactly what they will do.”
“We’re just going to have to see how that all plays out,” said Bishop Guglielmone. “Certainly, we hope that that’s exactly what they will do.”
Most dioceses have yet to comment on the Boy Scouts’ decision,
but both the Diocese of Fargo, North Dakota, and the Archdiocese of New Orleans
have said they will maintain their Catholic-chartered troops and continue to
choose leaders who abide by the Church’s teachings.
Fargo Bishop John Folda thanked the Boy Scouts’ Executive Board
in a statement last week for specifying that religious organizations could
continue to choose leaders based on religious values.
The bishop instructed leadership in the 13 Catholic-chartered
troops in the Fargo Diocese to "continue to act in accordance with the
Church's teaching and select volunteers based on character and conduct
consistent with those teachings.” He also commended the Boy Scouts of America
for respecting and recognizing "the Constitutional right to religious
freedom afforded to our parishes and other Catholic entities."
Other
faith-based troops grapple with new Scouts policies
More than 70 percent of the greater than 100,000 chartered Boy
Scout units are faith-based, according to the Scouts, and the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) makes up nearly 40,000 of those units. The
Catholic Church has just over 8,000 chartered units.
The Mormon Church initially remained hopeful that its
relationship with the Scouts would remain, however just two weeks prior to the
Scouts’ lifting its ban on gay leaders, the church said: “As a
chartering organization, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has
always had the right to select Scout leaders who adhere to moral and religious
principles that are consistent with our doctrines and beliefs. Any
resolution adopted by the Boy Scouts of America regarding leadership in
Scouting must continue to affirm that right.”
The Mormon Church issued a statement the day the ban on homosexual leaders was
lifted saying the church was “deeply troubled,” and that “the admission of
openly gay leaders is inconsistent with the doctrines of the Church and what
have traditionally been the values of the Boy Scouts of America,” and also that
the “the century-long association with Scouting will need to be examined” when
the church resumes its regular meetings this month.
Scouting
alternatives
Bismarck Bishop Kagan listed several appropriate
alternatives to the Boy
Scouts and Girl Scouts for Catholics in his diocese.
“I list here for your consideration acceptable alternatives for
our Catholic children and youth, should you wish to offer this in your parish
and/or school,” the bishop wrote. “There are two very good alternatives to
the Girl Scouts of America. They are: American
Heritage Girls, which has a National
Catholic Committee; Little
Flowers’ Girls Clubs; and Federation
of North American Explorers. There are three alternatives to
the Boy Scouts of America, which are acceptable. They are: Federation
of North American Explorers; Columbian
Squires; and Trail Life
USA, which has a National Catholic Committee in Front Royal, VA.”
