Vatican City, Jul 24, 2007 / 08:58 am
On August 1st thousands of Catholic scouts and guides from all over Europe will mark the 100th anniversary of the opening of the first scout camp by meeting with Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican.
The first scout camp was created by Lord Baden-Powell (1857-1941), founder of the World Scout Movement, on Brownsea Island, United Kingdom.
In a Letter to mark the centenary of the Scout Movement, addressed to Cardinal Jean-Pierre Ricard, archbishop of Bordeaux and president of the Conference of Bishops of France, the Holy Father recalled the founder of Catholic Scouts, Fr. Jacques Sevin S.J. and gave thanks to God "for all the fruits which, over this century, the Scout Movement has brought."
The Pope also encouraged Catholic scouts and guides to continue their journey, offering "young people today an education that forms strong personalities, rooted in Christ and desirous of living exalted ideals of faith and human solidarity."