The National Catholic Committee on Scouting (NCCS) was formed in response to the growing need for Catholic programming for Scouts throughout the U.S. The very first Catholic-chartered BSA troop was formed in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1910, the same year BSA was founded. In 1922, the first Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting was established in New York. In 1932, the committee was expanded to include bishops from across the country and in 1933, the bishop’s committee became part of the bishop’s conference, the forerunner to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). NCCS remains a Church committee of concerned Catholic laity and clergy, which is advisory to the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) and relates to the USCCB through its Episcopal Liaison.
NCCS is a member of the International Catholic Conference of Scouting (ICCS). The purpose of ICCS is to: contribute to the complete education of young people through Scouting from the point of view of the Catholic faith; cooperate in developing and enhancing the spiritual dimension of Scouting in accordance with the unity and the diversity of the World Scout Movement; and ensure that Catholics in Scouting are actively present in the Church and guarantee communication between the Catholic Church and the World Scout Movement. ICCS is a consultative body to the World Organization of the Scout Movement. Within the Catholic Church, ICCS has the approval of the Holy See and the status of a Catholic International Organization (CIO). ICCS actively cooperates with the Pontifical Council for the Laity and the CIO Conference. Visit the ICCS website for more information.