Scouting retreat helps deepen relationship with Lord and outdoors

Father Jim Bors believes the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s Catholic Scouting Retreat merits some attention. 

The archdiocese’s chaplain for scouting says the events planned for March 28-30 are as “Catholic as Catholic gets.”

The retreat features three days of outdoor and spiritual activities at Camp Saffran, Broad Creek Memorial Scout Reservation in Harford County along the Susquehanna River.

The event, revived by the archdiocese in 2024, has been renamed the Blessed Carlo Acutis Camping Retreat. It is open to all boys and girls ages 5 to 20, who are in national outdoor scouting-like organizations.

“Scouting is an excellent fit with our Catholic faith,” said Father Bors, who serves as Archbishop William E. Lori’s priest-secretary. “It gets you out into God’s creation and gives scouts a chance to deepen their relationship with the outdoors and the Lord.”

Last year’s event was held in April at Walkersville Watershed in Frederick after a 10-year hiatus. This year’s event has already tripled the number of registrants (140 as of March 12) from last year.  

The retreat is designed for scouts from Scouting America (BSA), Girl Scouts, American Heritage Girls, Campfire, Federation of North American Explorers, Trail Life and Troops of St. George. Father Bors said that due to interest, several families and one youth group asked if they could participate, so the Catholic Committee on Scouting, headed by Diana Przybysz, agreed to have them participate as a limited pilot this year.

“The retreat has some great activities planned, and for the pilot we don’t want to limit who can benefit from it,” Father Bors said. 

The retreat offers an expanded menu of events, including keynote talks from several seminarians who are Eagle Scouts and religious sisters from four communities.

Auxiliary Bishop Bruce A. Lewandowski, C.Ss.R, will celebrate an outdoor Mass, and the retreat will include overnight eucharistic adoration and the sacrament of Reconciliation.

Other highlighted activities include crafts, games, prayer and music.

Camping will be in tents and all meals will be provided.

“This should be a fun and inspiring event,” Father Bors said. “The church and scouting go hand in hand in building people of faith who are devoted to community service.”

The patron of the retreat is Blessed Carlo Acutis, who is scheduled to be canonized April 27. Blessed Acutis, who died in 2006 at age 15 from leukemia, was noted for his devotion to the Eucharist and sharing on the internet his Catholic faith. 

The camp’s mission is to provide an annual weekend campout retreat “in the beauty of God’s nature.” It also hopes to deepen the faith of Catholic youths who are members of a national organization for character development through outdoor programs.

Scouting has had a strong partnership with Catholic organizations for more than a century. The archdiocese currently hosts 83 scout packs, troops and crews serving more than 2,400 youths in the Baltimore Area Council of Scouting American. More than 1,200 adult volunteers support scouting in the greater Baltimore area.

Registration, which closes March 21, is available at archbalt.regfox.com/blessed-carlo-acutis-camping-retreat 

More information is available by contacting Mark Gallagher 937-956-2364 or MarkGallagherJMJ@gmail.com). Email questions to stcarloretreat@gmail.com 

Adult participants must be VIRTUS trained. 

Email Gerry Jackson at gjackson@CatholicReview.org

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