The Catholic Girl Scout Leader - Fall 2014

The Catholic Girl Scout Leader
Archdiocese of Milwaukee
Catholic Committee on Girl Scouts ∙ Office of Catechesis and Youth Ministry
Fall, 2014
Girl Scout Religious Medal Workshops This Fall
Archdiocese of Milwaukee Catholic Religious Awards for Girl Scouts
‘Family of God,’ and
‘I Live My Faith’ religious
medal workshops will be
presented at the Catholic
Religious Medal Kickoff to
be held on November 8,
2014, at St. Anthony
Parish in Menomonee
Falls. The workshops will
be repeated on November
15, 2014 at St. Robert
Bellarmine parish in Union
Grove.
The ‘Family of God’
workshop is for Brownie
Girl Scouts. The “I Live My
Faith’ workshop is for Junior Girl Scouts. The ‘Mary,
The First Disciple,’ workshop is for Cadettes and
Senior Girl Scouts.
These Catholic religious
award workshops provide
Continued on page six.
Inside this issue:
Overview of Catholic
Religious Recognition
Programs for Girl Scouts,
at p. 2.
Report from Jacquie
Gozdowiak, at p. 3.
Information on the USCCB
Statement on Girl Scouting, and the Joint
Statement of the Catholic
Archdiocese of Milwaukee
and the Girl Scouts of
Wisconsin Southeast, Girl
Scouts of Manitou and
Girl Scouts of Wisconsin
Badgerland, at p. 3.
Catholic Religious Medal
Kickoff 2014 Information,
at p. 5.
Above: Anne Erbe presenting the “I Live My Faith” and “Family of
God” workshop at St. Frances Cabrini School, West Bend, WI, Fall
2013. Girls from throughout the Archdiocese of Milwaukee
participated. Below: Father Pat Heppe with Girl Scouts being
recognized at parish Girl Scout Mass, 2014.
“Mary the First Disciple”
Catholic Religious Medal
Kickoff Information,
at p. 6.
Upcoming Dates to
Remember
 Religious Award KickOff
for ‘Family of God’ and ‘I
Live My Faith,’ November
8, 2014, St. Anthony Parish, Menomonee Falls.
 Religious Award KickOff
for ‘Family of God’ and ‘I
Live My Faith,’ November
15, 2014, St. Robert
Bellarmine, Union Grove.
 GSUSA National
Convention: October 1619, 2014, Salt Lake City,
UT.
 National Conference on
Catholic Youth Ministry:
December 4-6, 2014, San
Antonio, TX.
The Catholic Girl Scout Leader
Fall, 2014
Page 2
Religious Recognition Programs
For Girl Scouts
From the National Catholic Committee for
Girl Scouts USA and Camp Fire USA (NCCGSCF) website:
http://www.nccgscf.org/programs/index.htm
The Family of God
Family of God is the official religious recognition program of the Roman Catholic Church for children
in grades 2-3 who are enrolled in the Girl Scouts, Camp Fire, and other Catholic youth organiza-tions.
Family of God is a bilingual activity series developed to complement the catechetical efforts of the
parish and families with children in the second and third grades. Revised and transliterated into Spanish in July 2004, the program helps children discover the presence of God in their daily lives as members of their family and parish. The leader's guide is contained within the youth workbook.
I Live My Faith
The I Live My Faith program is designed to help Girl Scouts and Camp Fire members, grades 4-6,
appreciate more deeply the place that God and religion occupy in their daily lives. The program is
structured on the Catechism of the Catholic Church with the themes of: Belief, Sacraments, Catholic Christian Living, and Prayer. Each theme provides a variety of opportunities for young people to
explore the Catholic faith including art, technology, research, drama, and prayer. The book is divid ed into four chapters and includes an Introduction, Conclusion, and Leader's Guide. The chapters
are: Belief, Sacraments, Catholic Christian Living, and Prayer. Within each chapter, the youth are
challenged to Discover, Learn, and Connect Catholic Church teaching to their lives while incorporating Prayer throughout the process. I Live My Faith complements and supports the more formal
religious education provided in Catholic schools and parish programs. The leader's guide is contained within the youth workbook.
Mary, The First Disciple
The Marian Medal program is written for young Catholics, grades 7-10, to enable them to
"proclaim the greatness of the Lord." This is accomplished by actively involving the participants
in an under-standing of Mary as a model of openness and spirituality—a woman of the church.
Through various projects, discussions, and liturgical celebrations over a period of months, the
participants are provided with a unique opportunity to develop new insights into their personalities, friends, parents, and the world around them. A leader's guide, which contains the complete
text of the youth book is available at an additional cost.
The Spirit Alive
This program is designed for Catholic youth in high school who are in the senior level of Girl Scouts
or Horizon Club members of Camp Fire. It assists them in discovering how the Holy Spirit moves in
their lives, calling them to greater participation in the church's ministry. The four chap -ters cover:
The Holy Spirit Alive in Scripture, The Holy Spirit Alive in the Catholic Church, The Holy Spirit Alive
in Prayer, and The Holy Spirit Alive in Your Life. Activities are an integral part of The Spirit Alive
process. Because different people have different learning styles, there are four categories of activities to choose from for chapters 1-3: written, artistic, interactive, digital. The activity in Chapter 4 is
the service component of the process. One complimentary copy of the Leader's Guide is included
for every five youth booklets purchased.
To order workbooks and medals, visit www.archmil.org/scouts.htm to download
the Religious Medal and Workbook Order Form.
Questions? Contact Bonnie Bresnahan, 414-758-2242 or [email protected].
The Catholic Girl Scout Leader
Page 3
Fall, 2014
Report from Jacquie Gozdowiak
Chair of Catholic Committee on Girl Scouts
1. God is Love Project Book for
Daisy Girl Scouts in Grades 5K
and 1. There has been a slight delay
in printing the project books because
of the age group targeted with this
book. The National Catholic Committee on Girl Scouts and Camp Fire
has consulted with a Catholic printing
company about special considerations on layout, design, artwork, etc.
October is still the target publishing
date but most likely the book will be
available by mid-December. The
medal has not yet been cast but is
being worked on. There will be marketing at the Girl Scout Convention in
Salt Lake City for the project to get
the information out to as many leaders as possible.
2. Plans are underway for a great
Girl Scout convention in Salt Lake
City, Utah, from October 15th to the
19th. There will be a real presence of
Catholic Girl Scouts at the convention, with the NCCGSCF reserving
three large exhibit spaces for a dis-
play of religious awards and patches,
brochures about the religious awards
program, handouts with the USCCB
statement, marketing materials for
God is Love, and project books and
patches for sale. There will also be a
special patch created for girls who
stop by the booth during the convention.
I am especially excited that Anna
Maria Chavez, our National CEO, will
be the key speaker at a special Friday morning breakfast event! It is a
ticketed event and will surely be sold
out quickly!
Another first for Catholic Girl Scouts:
This is the very first Girl Scout convention where there is a Saturday
evening Mass listed in the Convention schedule!!!!!!!! For many years
the mass opportunities were spread
by word of mouth to the leaders and
girls attending. The mass will be celebrated at the Cathedral of the Madeleine just a few blocks from the convention center with Bishop Malone of
Salt Lake City presiding. It’s an exciting time!
3. I would encourage all leaders to
sign up for the NCCGSCF committee’s monthly newsletter called
Spark and Flame. There are always
three components, DO, LEARN, AND
CELEBRATE, and a special prayer for
the month that could easily be incorporated in your troop meetings. Individuals are encouraged to send in pictures
and stories from their troops that
would be of interest. Go to
www.nccgscf.org and look for the link
on the left side of the page. Also “like”
them on Facebook!
4. Be sure to share this newsletter
with other troop leaders in your
area who may not be on our mailing
list. Only by word of mouth can we be
sure that our girls are getting the best
of the Girl Scout programs and growth
in their faith through the Catholic
Church.
Blessings,
Jacquie Gozdowiak
USCCB Statement on Girl Scouting
Guidance for Bishops, Leaders and Parents
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family
Life and Youth (LMFLY), has released a resource for Catholic leaders and parents after a year of
dialog with the Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA).
The USCCB resource is online at www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/who-weteach/youth/catholic-scouting-questions.cfm.
For more information, see also the USCCB website at: www.usccb.org.
For the Joint Statement of the Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee and the Girl Scouts of
Wisconsin Southeast, Girl Scouts of Manitou and Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Badgerland,
see: http://www.archmil.org/ArchMil/Resources/CYM/Archdiocese-GirlScouts-May2014.pdf
CATHOLIC RELIGIOUS MEDAL KICKOFF 2014
There are two identical events scheduled this year:
“North” in Menomonee Falls on Nov 8th and “South” Nov 15th in Union Grove.
The Archdiocesan Catholic Committee on Girl Scouts is inviting all Brownie (Family of
God) and Junior Girl Scouts (I Live My Faith) to a Saturday Kickoff where you’ll get a
jump start on the Religious Medal Program for your age group.
A dedicated group of volunteers will work with groups of girls from all over the
Archdiocese. The girls have a lot of fun with new friends as they learn about their
faith in practical ways. About half of the requirements will be completed. Because this
is an all-volunteer event, all adults in attendance will be expected to assist the
moderators.
DATE: November 8th OR 15th, 2014
TIME: 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
PLACE: St Anthony, N74 W13604 Appleton Ave, Menomonee Falls, 53051 – Nov. 8th
OR St. Robert Bellarmine, 3320 S. Colony Ave, Union Grove, 53182 – Nov 15th
COST: $14 includes workbook, supplies and event patch
ALL ATTENDING SHOULD BRING A BAG LUNCH
ATTIRE: Girl Scout uniform or sash or vest
Questions? Anne @414-371-0443 or [email protected]
or [email protected]
Firm deadline November 1, 2014 – No registrations are accepted by phone
All registrations are acknowledged by e-mail or phone with further pertinent information
Please mail this portion with a check payable to “MCCOS” add: “Workshop ’14 on
subject line
Leader
Name________________________________Troop#____Phone__________________
Address________________________________________E-mail__________________
# of Brownies_______Juniors_______Adults*______CIRCLE ONE; 11/8 or 11/15
*All girls must have a leader/parent in attendance with emergency information
Please mail to Anne Erbe, 5341 W. Donges Lane, Brown Deer, WI 53223
Mary, the First Disciple
CATHOLIC RELIGIOUS MEDAL KICKOFF
The Archdiocese of Milwaukee Catholic Committee on Girl Scouts is inviting all interested girls who are 7th grade and older to a Saturday Kickoff where you’ll get a
jump start on the Religious Medal program for your age group called
“Mary, the First Disciple”.
Because this workshop is offered to a small group of girls we ask that a PARENT
OR TROOP ADVISOR contact the facilitator indicating interest in attending. This
workshop is a fun and learning experience focused on the life of Mary at age 13
and how Mary is a central part of the Catholic religion. The best part of the workshop is that girls will meet others from around the Archdiocese who are interested
in earning their religious medal and the workshop will be working on options that
require group involvement and discussion. There are other requirements that will
need to be completed after the workshop as they can be done as an individual at
their own pace.
Cost of the workshop will include the project book, materials used in the workshop,
and a specially created patch. (Medal can be ordered upon completion of the entire
project book.) The cost will be determined by the facilitator and will be explained
when contact is made to Theresa by the parent/advisor. Girls should plan to bring
their own bag lunch.
Scheduling will depend on the interest received.
It may be one or both of the following:
DATE: November 8th St Anthony, N74 W13604 Appleton Ave, Menomonee Falls,
53051 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
DATE: November 15th St. Robert Bellarmine, 3320 S. Colony Ave, Union Grove,
53182
ATTIRE: Girl Scout uniform or sash or vest
To Register or with Questions:
Text Theresa Chimenti at 414-350-5503
Deadline November 1, 2014 – No registrations are accepted by phone
The Catholic Girl Scout Leader
Page 6
Fall, 2014
Girl Scout Religious
Medal Workshops,
Continued from page one.
girls with a workbook to keep, and
include large group and small sessions which help girls meet many of
the requirements for each award.
Religious awards are a great way
to incorporate Catholic faith principles into troop activities. Other religious medal programs for Girl
Scouts include “The Spirit Alive,” for
Senior and Ambassador Girl
Scouts.
Girls who earn these religious
awards will be recognized at the
Celebration of Catholic Scouting
Mass and Awards Ceremony held
annually at the Archbishop Cousins
Parents and Girl Scout leaders assisting at the “Family of God” and “I Live My Faith” Workshop,
2013, at St. Frances Cabrini School in West Bend, Wisconsin.
Center in Spring.
Workbooks for all of these religious
awards are available from the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, Office of
Catechesis and Youth Ministry. All of
these Religious Awards can be completed by troops and individual girls
with or without attending a workshop.
For more information on Archdiocese of Milwaukee Religious Awards
for Girl Scouts, and to order workbooks and medals, see:
http://www.archmil.org/ scouts.htm
Important Links for More Information...
Religious Recognition Programs for Catholic Girls
Family of God • I Live My Faith • Mary, the First Disciple • The Spirit
Alive
The Catholic
Girl Scout Leader
Archdiocese of Milwaukee
Catholic Committee on Girl Scouts
Archdiocese of Milwaukee Catholic Committee on Girl Scouts
This Committee of local Catholic scout leaders fosters faith development in Catholic Girl Scouts and their adult leaders.
Contacts
Office of Catechesis & Youth Ministry - Scout Page
Information on official religious recognition programs and ordering
materials.
Chair of Catholic Committee on Girl Scouts
[email protected]
414-517-5697
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Scouting and Catholic Youth Ministry - USCCB
National Catholic Committee on Girl Scouts and Camp Fire
The NCCGSCF, an affiliate member of NFCYM, serves Catholic
youth and adults through faith-based programs, including the Catholic religious recognition programs and activity patches for girls.
Frequently Asked Questions - NCCGSCF
National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry (NFCYM)
Girl Scouts USA
For questions about Girl Scout policies and practices, the first source
is the Girl Scouts.
Jacquie Gozdowiak
Gary Pokorny
Director of Catechesis & Youth Ministry
Archdiocese of Milwaukee
[email protected]
414-758-2242
Editor: Ann Meyer
Contact Address:
Archdiocese of Milwaukee
Catholic Scouting
P. O. Box 070912
Milwaukee, WI 53207-0912

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