CINCINNATI — In the wake of a historic split between the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and the Girl Scouts of Western Ohio, one Catholic troop leader is hoping to find common ground between the groups.
Jennifer Briede said the Girl Scouts of America has been a generational thing for her family. She leads the troop her daughter is in.
"This is about sisterhood," Briede said.
Briede said her troop, and many other Catholic-centric troops, have operated without any hint of the "gender and sexual ideology" cited by the archdiocese in their decision to split from GSOA.
"The truth is that troops operate individually and within their own programming," she said.
She has organized a meeting of Catholic troop leaders Nov. 14 and invited both the local Girl Scout Board and archdiocese representatives to attend.
The troop leader said many troops weren't contacted or given the chance to weigh in on this decision before Archbishop Dennis Schnurr made the announcement. She'd like to make her case that it should be reversed.
"And we talk about why Girl Scouting is so fundamental to us, and truly why our Catholic faith is so fundamental to us. I'm equally frustrated with both organizations to be frank," Briede said.
As Briede tried to save her troop, Pastor Tyler Moquin-Lee at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church on Werk Road called on wayward troops to call his church home. The openly gay pastor said he felt compelled to help by his own faith in God.
"That, to me, just doesn't show hospitality by kicking people out," he said.
Moquin-Lee said Girl Scouts of America leaders and former employees are parishioners at his church, and they've welcomed troops in the past.
"I think the call to serve our neighbor, the call to hospitality, is the greater call than to align with something politically," he said. "We have plenty of people that believe very different things here."
In a statement, Patti Garibay, founder and executive director of American Heritage Girls, celebrated the archdiocese's decision to part ways with Girl Scouts of America and direct all existing Girl Scout Troops to vacate their properties or transition to an AHG chapter:
American Heritage Girls (AHG) is thrilled to continue working alongside the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and looks forward to continued growth within its Family of Parishes. AHG has been promoting faith, service, and fun for nearly 30 years, and we are honored to come alongside Catholic arch/dioceses across the country to build women of integrity. The Christ-centered AHG Program offers exciting opportunities for girls ages 5 to 18, including outdoor adventures, life skill enhancement, girl leadership development, and service opportunities. The AHG Program provides resources—including badge programs, patch programs, and Catholic Faith Awards—that support families in guiding their girls’ spiritual development in fidelity to the magisterium of the Catholic Church. While AHG is ecumenical in nature, the AHG National Catholic Committee works tirelessly to provide resources and support to hundreds of Catholic Troops across the country. We look forward to maintaining our close relationship with the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, as they empower girls to grow through AHG’s Christ-centered program that is strongly aligned with the Catholic faith.
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