CITIZENSHIP IN SOCIETY MERIT BADGE UPDATE

SPECIAL COUNSELOR REQUIREMENT FOR THE CITIZENSHIP IN SOCIETY MERIT BADGE FOR UNITS SPONSORED BY THE DIOCESE OF ALLENTOWN AND ITS PARISHES

Two years ago, Scouts BSA released a new merit badge called Citizenship in Society and made it an Eagle-required badge. It deals with the area of human relations so-called, “diversity, equity, and inclusion.” Scouts BSA recognized that this merit badge’s material may cause some confusion or controversy, so Citizenship in Society is the first-ever merit badge to have mandatory counselor training and a counselor guide. It also has no merit badge booklet because the scout is directed to use the internet to research these terms and topics. The independent internet research and suggested websites allow for the promotion of ideologies contrary to the Gospel, leaving impressionable youth vulnerable to social contagions contrary to our Catholic faith.

The head of our Allentown Diocese, Bishop Schlert, supports Scouting as an important form of youth ministry at the parish level. Our Parish-sponsored units are Catholic youth ministry. Parish-sponsored Scout units should form our youth in accord with our Catholic faith and moral teaching. He has designated five priests within the diocese to become merit badge counselors for this badge. Effective immediately all scouts or venturers in Catholic-sponsored units in our diocese who want to or must earn the Citizenship in Society merit badge must use one of the designated priests as the counselor.

This policy applies to both Catholic and non-Catholic scouts within a Catholic-sponsored unit. This policy is not retroactive to those who have completed the merit badge before November 20, 2024.

More information can be found by clicking on these links:

• Diocesan memo to all pastors about Citizenship in Society Merit Badge
• ADCCOS letter to the Key Three of all troops and crews sponsored by parishes of the Diocese of Allentown

The second link has more detailed information about the implementation of this policy and a series of Frequently Asked Questions. This letter also includes the contact information for the five priest counselors who are the only acceptable counselors for this merit badge.