Diocese Maintains Ties With Boy Scouts

MEMORANDUM 
From: Bishop Zinkula 
To: Pastors and Principals 
Date: December 8, 2021 


For many years, numerous parishes and schools in our diocese have enjoyed a good and rewarding relationship with the Boy Scouts. It is my hope that these relationships will continue, although in a different form in some locations. 

I have been kept informed on the current bankruptcy court proceedings involving the Boy Scouts and victims of abuse. After careful consideration, I have determined that, unfortunately, the sponsor relationship that some parishes and schools have with the Boy Scouts will have to end. Therefore, for 2022 and subsequent years, Catholic entities will no longer be able to be the local organization that sponsors a scouting program. 

However, parishes and schools are welcome to choose to permit the Boy Scouts access to parish and school facilities as they do for other outside groups, following the same diocesan policies and protocols, including safe environment training and background checks. This decision is made at the local level by pastors and principals, as it would be made with any other outside group. 

The Boy Scouts would be requested to sign a facility use agreement and an unaffiliated organization agreement. They also would provide the certificate of insurance required in the agreement. The name of a scouting group must not include the name of the parish or school that provides meeting space, since the group is not part of the parish or school. 

The relevant policies and procedures can be found in section 8 of the Diocesan Insurance Claims Kit. An additional waiver that is specific to the Boy Scouts is also required and is available in the Kit. 

We have been in contact with the Scout Executive/CEO of the ILLIOWA Council and reached out to the other Scout Executives for the other councils in our diocese concerning this development. We have been assured by the Scout Executive for ILLIOWA Council that he will help each pack/troop find another sponsor. He was very thankful that the Boy Scouts may still have use of the facilities.  

If you have any questions regarding this change, please contact Tiara Hatfield, Diocesan Director of Human Resources and Risk Management. 
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