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Scouting Program at St. Benedict Teaches Leadership, Teamwork and Faith
Here at St. Benedict Cathedral, we are blessed to have an organization that encourages independence in our parish youth while providing their parents with a wonderful resource for helping their teenagers grow in character and virtue — Scouts BSA Troop 318. Participating youth benefit from these programs as they learn outdoor survival skills, participate in community service projects, and forge lasting friendships with their fellow scouts.
Francis Brickey has been the Scoutmaster for Troop 318 since 1988 and is the father to an Eagle Scout. As both a leader and a father, Francis has a great appreciation for the many life lessons made available through the Scouts BSA program.
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“The scout program is about having fun learning,” he says. “We do knot tying, camping, whitewater rafting, a 50-mile canoe ride, and even rappelling. What I enjoy about scouting is seeing them come in as kids, sometimes even anxious or fearful of some things, and as the years go on, I see them learn and become mature and accomplished at different things.”
Boys and girls aged 10 and up, of all faiths and abilities, may become a scout in the Scouts BSA program. Although there is an age limit of 18 for attaining Eagle rank, some Eagle scouts choose to continue with the troop as assistant Scoutmasters. Scouts who elect to join the Adventure Crew may participate in this branch of the scouting program through age 22.
According to the Scout Law recited at the beginning of all meetings, a scout strives to be “trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.” In Troop 318, this last character trait — reverence — takes on a particularly Catholic component with many scouts choosing to earn a Catholic religious medal called Ad Altare Dei. With some scouts coming from other faith backgrounds, including various Christian denominations and even Judaism or Islam, the program also provides a unique chance for evangelization.
“The scouting program offers a chance for our Catholic scouts to grow in their faith,” Francis says. “At the same time, I think it’s been an eyeopener for a lot of the scouts that aren’t Catholic. We always go to Mass on our campouts, and for many of them, it is their first time going to a Catholic Mass. So it’s a way we can evangelize and teach them a little bit about our faith.”
Another way the scouts live out the faith together is through service to others. The troop often helps with food drives for the Salvation Army, cleans up around the St. Benedict campus, and volunteers at parish events like the fish frys and Summer Social. In addition, Eagle projects — fully designed and managed by scouts who desire to earn their Eagle rank — most often involve service to the community or the parish.
Having witnessed firsthand how much the scouts mature during their time in the program, Francis views their participation in scouting to be truly priceless. Because the scouts are peer-led, they learn to teach and lead one another. Those who make it through to earn the prestigious Eagle Scout rank, especially, grow in leaps and bounds during their time in the program. They are then able to help the younger scouts achieve their goals.
“It’s like being a teacher in a way,” Francis says of his 30-plus years as Scoutmaster. “I have a new crop of kids that comes in every year and I get to watch them grow and mature. I have some scouts coming back now as parents who are sending their own kids to scouts, which is nice. I’ve grown with the scouts over the years as well. I’ve learned that no scout is the same, but the same program helps them each develop. They find that little niche they like, and it helps them grow.”
At St. Benedict Cathedral, we are grateful for all those who make our Scouts BSA program possible. Thank you for supporting our youth as they make the journey from children to men and women of faith!
If you would like more information about the Scouts BSA program at St. Benedict, contact Scoutmaster Francis Brickey at 812-306-4174 or brickey5@sbcglobal.net.
