International Catholic Conference of Scouting

The International Catholic Conference of Scouting (ICCS) is an autonomous, international body committed to promoting and supporting Catholic Scout associations and to be a link between the Scout movement and the Catholic Church. Its headquarters is located in Rome, Italy.

It enjoys consultative status with the World Scout Committee and forms the World Scout Inter-religious Forum (WSIF) together with the Council of Protestants in Guiding and Scouting, International Link of Orthodox Christian Scouts, International Union of Muslim Scouts, International Forum of Jewish Scouts, Won-Buddhism Scout and World Buddhist Scout Brotherhood.

There is a close cooperation with the International Catholic Conference of Guiding (ICCG).

It represents about 8 million Scouts.

History At the 1st World Scout Jamboree in London Father Jacques Sevin SJ of France, Jean Corbisier of Belgium and Count Mario di Carpegna of Italy decided to create an international umbrella for Catholic Boy Scouts. Pope Benedict XV supported this idea and in 1922 Catholic Boy Scouts from Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Chile, Ecuador, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland, Spain and Hungary created this umbrella organisation. Its rules were approved by the Pope in the same year. World War II made an end to this organisation. 1946 and 1947 the contacts between the Catholic Scout associations were reestablished and since 1948 conferences took place every year i.e. in 1958 in Vienna.

In June 1962 the Holy See approved the statutes and the Charter of Catholic Scouts, and the umbrella of Catholic Boy Scouting took the name International Catholic Conference of Scouting. In 1977 the new charter was approved by the Holy See.

At the 2011 World Council, the structure of ICCS was modified for 3 years. Instead of a Secretary General, a Chairman and a President (with equal powers) were elected.

Members

Africa Region Full members Benin: Scoutisme Béninois Burundi: Association des Scouts du Burundi Chad: Les Scouts du Tchad, component association of the Fédération du Scoutisme Tchadien Côte d'Ivoire: Association des Scouts catholiques de Côte d'Ivoire, component association of the Fédération Ivoirienne du Scoutisme Cameroon: Les Scouts du Cameroun Gabon: Association des Scouts et Guides Catholiques du Gabon, component association of the Fédération Gabonaise du Scoutisme Guinée: Association Nationale des Scouts de Guinée Madagascar: Antilin'i Madagasikara, component association of the Firaisan'ny Skotisma eto Madagasikara Mauritius: Mauritius Scout Association, Bureau Scout Catholique de Maurice Rwanda: Association des Scouts du Rwanda Senegal: Association des Scouts et Guides du Sénégal, component association of the Confédération Sénégalaise du Scoutisme Tanzania: Tanzania Scouts Association, Tanzanian Catholic Conference of Scouting Togo: Association Scoute du Togo Uganda: The Uganda Scouts Association

Observers: Guinea Bissau: Escuteiros da Guiné-Bissau

America Region Full members: Argentina: Scouts de Argentina, Comisión Pastoral Scout Católica Aruba: Scouting Aruba Bolivia: Asociación de Scouts de Bolivia Brazil: União dos Escoteiros do Brasil Chile: Asociación de Guías y Scouts de Chile, Comisión Pastoral Colombia: Asociación Scouts de Colombia, Comisión Nacional Pastoral Scout Católica Costa Rica: Asociación de Guías y Scouts de Costa Rica Curaçao: Scouting Antiano Dominican Republic: Asociación de Scouts Dominicanos Ecuador: Asociación de Scouts del Ecuador Haïti: Scouts d'Haïti Mexico: Asociación de Scouts de México Panama: Asociación Nacional de Scouts de Panama Paraguay: Asociación de Scouts del Paraguay Peru: Asociación de Scouts del Perú St. Lucia: The Saint Lucia Scout Association Uruguay: Movimiento Scout del Uruguay, Comisión Pastoral United States: Boy Scouts of America, National Catholic Committee on Scouting

Observers: El Salvador: Asociación de Scouts de El Salvador

Asia-Pacific Region Full members: Hong Kong: The Scout Association of Hong Kong, Catholic Scout Guild Japan: Scout Association of Japan, Japan Catholic Conference of Scouting South Korea: Korea Scout Association, Catholic Scouts of Korea Philippines: Boy Scouts of the Philippines, National Catholic Committee on Scouting Singapore: The Singapore Scout Association, Catholic Scouts of Singapore Taiwan: The general Association of the Scouts of China, Taiwan Catholic Conference of Scouting Thailand: National Scout Organization of Thailand, Ratanakosin Scout Association

Observers:

Macau: Associação de Escoteiros de Macau

European-Mediterranean region

Full members: Belgium: Scouts en Gidsen Vlaanderen, component association of the Guidisme et Scoutisme en Belgique Czech Republic: Junák France: Scouts et Guides de France, component association of the Scoutisme Français Germany: Deutsche Pfadfinderschaft Sankt Georg, component association of the Ring deutscher Pfadfinderverbände Hungary: Magyar Cserkészszövetség, Catholic Committee of the Hungarian Scout Association Ireland: Scouting Ireland, Forum for Catholics in Scouting Ireland Israel: Catholic Scout Association in Israel, component association of the Israel Boy and Girl Scouts Federation Italy: Associazione Guide e Scouts Cattolici Italiani, component association of the Federazione Italiana dello Scautismo Jordan: Jordanian Association for Boy Scouts and Girl Guides, Catholic Scouts and Guides – Jordan Lebanon: Les Scouts du Liban, component association of the Lebanese Scouting Federation Liechtenstein: Pfadfinder und Pfadfinderinnen Liechtensteins Luxembourg: Lëtzebuerger Guiden a Scouten, component association of the Luxembourg Boy Scouts Association Malta: The Scout Association of Malta Monaco: Guides et Scouts de Monaco Palestine: Palestinian Scout Association, Palestinian Catholic Scouts of Saint John the Baptist Poland: Związek Harcerstwa Polskiego Portugal: Corpo Nacional de Escutas, component association of the Federação Escutista de Portugal Romania: Organizaţia Naţională Cercetaşii României, Asociaţia Scout Catolică din România Slovakia: Slovenský skauting, Slovensky Scouting Catholic Committee Spain: Movimiento Scout Católico, component association of the Federación de Escultismo en España Minyons Escoltes i Guies de Catalunya, component association of the Federació Catalana d'Escoltisme i Guiatge Switzerland: Gruppo delle Sezioni Scout Cattoliche di Scoutismo Ticino, component association of the Swiss Guide and Scout Movement Verband katholischer Pfadfinderinnen und Pfadfinder, component association of the Swiss Guide and Scout Movement United Kingdom: The Scout Association, National Catholic Scout Fellowship Ukraine: National Organization of Scouts of Ukraine, Commission of Catholic Scouts

Activities

World Scout Conference and Regional Scout Conferences ICCS was represented at the 38th World Scout Conference in Korea. ICCS was also represented at the 14th Africa Scout Conference in Accra in November 2009.

World Scout Jamborees and World Scout Moot ICCS is active at World Scout Jamborees. At the 20th World Scout Jamboree i.e. there was a special award issued by ICCS and an order of mass and a song book was published. The ICCS was also involved in the 21st World Scout Jamboree with its own center the Hyland Abbey. ICCS will also be present in 2011 at the World Jamboree in Sweden. ICCS is also an active participant of the World Scout Moot i.e. in 2000 in Mexico.

International Scout Ecumenical Encounter The ICCS was an active participant in all the International Ecumenical Scout Encounters: 1st International Scout Ecumenical Encounter, Canterbury, England, U.K., 2008 2nd International Scout Ecumenical Encounter, Athens, Greece, 2010 3rd International Scout Ecumenical Encounter, Assisi, Italy, 2012

World Scout Interreligious Symposium ICCS was an active participant of all World Scout Interreligious Symposium: 1st World Scout Interreligious Symposium, Valencia, Spain, 2003 2nd World Scout Interreligious Symposium, Taiwan, 2006 3rd World Scout Inter-religious Symposium, Uganda, 2009 4th World Scout Interreligious Symposium, Iksan, South Korea, 2012. 5th World Scout Interreligious Symposium, Huntington, New York, USA, 2017. 6th World Scout Interreligious Symposium, Marseilles, France, 2026

International Scout Week Between August 16 and 23, 2009 a Scout Week took place in Taizé for the first time. 56 Scouts und Scoutleaders from Egypt, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Portugal, Spain, Czech Republic and Hungary took part in this international week. This event is scheduled for every summer. In 2010 it will take place between August 22 and 29.

World Youth Day ICCS not only takes part in the activities of World Scouting, but also supports events of the Catholic Church. So ICCS is present at the World Youth Days. So there was a vigil organised by ICCS, ICCG and AGESCI at the World Youth Day in Rome with thousands of Scouts from all over the world. ICCS will be present at the 15th World Youth Day in August 2010 in Madrid.

Trainings and other events ICCS hold regularly courses and camps for Scouts, Scoutleaders and chaplains and regional and world level.i.e. in December 2009 and January 2010 the Living Stones Camp, ICCS World Seminar 2008 in Korea, Pastoral Seminar for Central Europe, ICCS Scout Jamboree in Thailand ...

International Awareness recognition This is an opportunity offered by the ICCS to all youth and adult members of the Boy Scouts of America.

Brotherhood of Saint George The honor society of the International Catholic Conference of Scouting is the Brotherhood of Saint George. Catholic Scoutleaders and Chaplains are honoured by getting the membership.

Publications Cahiers, published two times per year in French, English and Spanish Circular Letter Info, published in French, English and Spanish, two monthly Signes, published quarterly in French, English and Spanish

See also Religion in Scouting

References

External links ICCS Official Site ICCS America region ICCS European-Mediterranean region