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stacykay
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| Posted: Sept 21 2010 at 3:08pm | IP Logged
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I need some input from other scout moms. Our boy scout troop always *used* to attend Mass whenever they went on campouts or to summer camp (we are chartered through our parish.)
It appears that the newer troop leadership isn't overly concerned if the boys go or not. What do your troops do? Do you have a written policy? Diocesan guidelines? If they don't attend Mass, do you drive to the camp and take them?
I'm thinking we are going to need to make up a rotating schedule for the parents who want to make sure their sons attend Mass, with parents taking turns driving to the camps and to church. (Oh, I'm referring to Sunday Mass, as the campouts all go over the weekend.)
Thanks for your help.
In Christ,
Stacy in MI
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anitamarie
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| Posted: Sept 21 2010 at 3:26pm | IP Logged
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Well, sometimes there is Mass provided at camp and sometimes not for our Troop. We usually try to find out in advance and then make sure we allow for one of us to be available to take him to one of the later Masses on Sunday. Our scouts are usually back between 10 and Noon on Sunday morning, if a Mass isn't being celebrated at camp. We are lucky enough to have a 10:45, 12:15 and 5:30 p.m. to choose from after that.
If there weren't a later Mass, I would (or dh) be going to pick him up for Mass. Sadly, in our troop, it's not a big priority for a lot of the parents, so it would be on us. I hope you would get a good response for your solution.
God Bless,
Anita
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guitarnan
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| Posted: Sept 21 2010 at 3:52pm | IP Logged
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Our summer camps did not offer Mass, but the troop leadership has always made sure the boys were back for at least one Sunday Mass option (showered, too). This is also true for weekend camping trips.
In our previous (not sponsored by a Catholic organization ) troops, they tended to respect everyone's need to attend worship services on Sundays and plan return times accordingly. I can't recall it ever being an issue in the three troops my son belonged to.
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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stefoodie
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Some of our summer camps offered Mass (+ services for other denominations) or if they didn't, they made sure the boys were back in time. We don't have a written policy (AFAIK) but as the troop leadership (dh is scoutmaster) are strong Christians they recognize the importance of Sunday services.
We're also lucky (or unlucky depending on how you look at it) that there are 2 churches in the area within 30 minutes of us that offer afternoon and evening Mass. They're of the more modern variety so we try to avoid going to Mass there if possible but at the very least if they get home late we can still make it to 5:30 or 7 pm Mass.
Maybe say something to the leadership? Also, I find that it helps that our archdiocese is very involved in Catholic scouting, so priests/vocations directors are present at many camps. Maybe you could write a letter to your diocese also....
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stef
mom to five
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JodieLyn
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we haven't had a problem.. they've either gone on a single overnight so Friday to Saturday or they've done a full week.. leaving Sunday afternoon and returning Saturday evening.
Our coucil is heavily Morman and they can be very strict about not doing things that interfer with Sundays.. so while we have our differences this does work out beneficially for having our boys home for attending Mass.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
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All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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hylabrook1
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Our troop is sponsored by the Izaak Walton League - not at all religious. But it just happens to have a large number of Catholic boys. Summer camp is usually a couple of hundred miles from home (and I'm sure there are Catholic churches where it is), but they leave early Sunday morning and the boys' families take them to Saturday evening Mass the night before; they are home late Saturday, so no problem making Sunday Mass. They haven't gone for more than a week. Weekend campouts either get back in time for Mass or one of the adults drives the boys to a church. Really, it's never been even the tiniest bit of a problem.
Peace,
Nancy
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stacykay
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| Posted: Sept 22 2010 at 6:50am | IP Logged
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Our troop leaves for summer camp on Sat. mornings and return the following Saturday afternoon. I guess for that one, at the least, we'll need to drive down or up (they change the camp each year; not sure if all troops do that?) to take the boys to Mass. Most of the summer camps are at least 3-5 hours away.
We have one campout ("Holiday" campout) where there is usually a priest who will come out to say Mass. The only year one couldn't, we went to a nearby church.
The rest of the campouts have varying times of return. Almost all leave on Friday evening and return at different times on Sundays, but never in time for our latest parish Mass. (Plus they have to unload trailers, etc.) We do have a couple of churches that have a 5:00 pm.
I guess we just have to adjust to this change in our troop. It's hard for my dh and me, as it was a priority with all the former leaders that the scouts attended Mass while on the campout. And it was good for our sons, who always came home exhausted, so we didn't have to worry about going to a later Mass.
And, why is it that those 5pm Masses always seem to be the "rocking" Masses? 
Thanks for your info!
In Christ,
Stacy in MI
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MarieC
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| Posted: Sept 22 2010 at 7:21pm | IP Logged
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stacykay wrote:
| we are chartered through our parish |
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I think this is the most important part. The parish charters your troop. I believe that the parish maintains "ownership" of it and that the pastor of the parish has to sign on each year. What would your pastor think of Mass not being a priority for the troop?
I used to work for the BSA....but times do change and my mind grows fuzzier each year! So hopefully this is the way it still works!
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Marie
mom to 6
dds-98, 00, 02 and 09 & dss-03 and 06
Out in the Orchard
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Carole N.
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Our troop was sponsored through our church and mass was a part of any campout. If you were not Catholic, you did not have to attend, but most boys went out of respect. Remember we lived in the Bible belt.
Summer camp started on Sunday evening and ended on Saturday, so it was never an issue. I think when the boys hiked Philmont, they stayed at a camp that had a mass and then the last Sunday, they were in base camp.
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 Carole ... in Wales
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sewcrazy
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Our boy scouts go to Mass while on the camp out. It is the troop Chaplain's job to find a church near the camp ground, or activity, research the Mass times, and call the pastor of that church to "warn" him that a group of scouts will be attending Mass.
My dd is in American Heritage Girls, and they only camp locally, so their camp outs end with Mass at our church. The girls sit together at Mass and then unpack the trailer.
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LeeAnn
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4Real Forums : Tea and Conversation
Topic: BSA camp outs and Mass?
