08/05/2026
More than 2,000 Catholic Scouts and leaders filled the grounds of the Summit Bechtel Reserve in West Virginia for Mass during the 2026 Scouting America National Jamboree.
Bishops Evelio Menjivar-Ayala of Wheeling-Charleston and Michael Fisher of Buffalo celebrated the Mass on July 26 as part of the 10-day event that drew more than 15,000 Scouts from across the United States. The jamboree, held every four years, concluded on July 30.
“Faith is integral to who we are as an organization,” said Michael Ramsey, chief marketing officer for Scouting America. He noted that the Scout Oath begins with the words: “On my honor, I will do my duty to God and my country.”
The Catholic Mass was the largest worship service offered at the jamboree. Ramsey described the sight of so many young people choosing to attend Mass while at camp as “a powerful testimony to faith in Scouting.”
Scouting America reports nearly 131,000 Catholic Scouts across almost 200 dioceses. The Catholic Church remains the organization’s largest chartering partner. A formal memorandum of understanding between the two groups was renewed about 18 months ago, reaffirming their shared commitment to character formation rooted in faith.
Catholic involvement in Scouting dates back to the movement’s earliest days in the United States. One of the first Catholic-chartered troops was established in St. Paul, Minnesota, in 1910—the same year Scouting began—and another followed at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York in 1912.
At a time when many young people face competing claims on their attention, the image of thousands of Scouts kneeling together under the open sky offers a quiet but striking reminder: duty to God still has a place at the center of formation.
Mary, Mother of the Church, pray for us. Amen! 🙏
