International Catholic Conference of Scouting


The International Catholic Conference of Scouting 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 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.
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 were elected.

Members

Africa Region

Full members
Observers:
Full members:
Observers:
Full members:
Observers:
Full members:

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:
ICCS was an active participant of all World Scout Interreligious Symposium:
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