CV NEWS FEED // The Archdiocese of Cincinnati has endorsed the American Heritage Girls (AHG) as a Christian alternative to Girl Scouts.
Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr stated:
Unfortunately, in recent years, some scouting organizations have embraced and promoted an impoverished worldview regarding human life and sexuality. Through activities, badges and awards, these organizations have contributed to normalizing a gender ideology devoid of Christian virtue and contrary to the Catholic understanding of the human person made in the image and likeness of God.
The Archbishop recommended that young girls join AHG instead of Girl Scouts or Scouting America (formerly Boy Scouts of America).
“AHG is openly Christ-centered and dedicated to helping girls respond to God’s call to grow in purity, service, stewardship and integrity,” he remarked. “Moreover, AHG expressly believes that every person is made in the image of God.”
In an exclusive interview with CatholicVote, AHG’s National Catholic relations specialist Julie Goodwin explained how the program builds community, teaches girls Christian leadership, and helps them embrace their femininity.
>> EXCLUSIVE CATHOLICVOTE INTERVIEW WITH JULIE GOODWIN <<
Goodwin said that AHG builds community between girls and families because the program is designed to have older girls with younger girls. The parents also benefit from the program, “because you know that every parent in that room, every parent that goes to an event, is on the same path to raise our girls up.”
The Christian leadership AHG teaches also allows girls to encourage each other to pray and build their relationship with Christ.
“A lot of our girls on campouts will pray the rosary or they’ll read the Liturgy of Hours or you know, they’ll come together in prayer,” Goodwin said. “The leadership with the girls is allowing them to have that peer pressure.”
The program also teaches girls to embrace their femininity, as the program requires the seniors in high school to read Pope Saint John Paul II’s Letter to Women.
“For those older girls, sometimes it’s a real eye-opener for them to think about [femininity] from a Catholic perspective,” Goodwin noted. “They come to see it as a beautiful gift. “
Readers can find CatholicVote’s full interview with Goodwin here.
