06/17/2026
The Scout Oath — A Catholic Interpretation
From the 1982 A Scout is Reverent
"On my honor I will do my best"
Our honor is a quality we possess because of our dignity as human beings and children of God. Our “best” means to give all we have. It means to keep striving to do what we know is right, and in the Oath it means we will try to be good Scouts by fulfilling our Scout duties as expressed in the Scout Law.
"To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law"
Our duty to God and country means chiefly two things: obedience and loyalty. The duties we owe to the Church, to our country, to parents, to one another, and to ourselves come from the Word of God. The Scout Law sums up all the qualities a Scout should have and without which he cannot be a good Scout.
"To help other people at all times"
Our Lord told us that love of our neighbor was like the first law of love of God. Early Christians were known by the love they had for one another. Real Christian charity, or love, prompts us to want to help others at all times. Our Scout training will give us skills and knowledge that will put us in a better position to do this.
"To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight"
Scouting offers us many opportunities to grow physically. To be alert and ready requires us to give special care to those two gifts of the soul—intellect and will—that make us like unto God. “Morally straight” means we must try to know what is right and true, and to love what is good and choose it.
