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Draw from the Scriptures, Pope advises Catholic Scouts, Guides
June 01, 2026
Pope Leo XIV encouraged members of the Italian Association of Catholic Guides and Scouts to “draw from the Holy Scriptures,” and particularly the Gospel, as “from a spring of fresh water.”
“Life in the open air and contact with nature are indispensable dimensions of your activity, which speak of God’s goodness through the traces left by the Creator Himself in creation,” Pope Leo said during the audience, which took place at midday today in Paul VI Audience Hall. “You wisely combine the book of nature with the Word of God, which preserves the meaning of history and sustains us when life’s path puts us to the test.”
Pope Leo added:
As from a spring of fresh water, I invite you to draw from the Holy Scriptures to enlighten and sustain your experiences of human and spiritual growth, both personally and within the community ... Dear Scout Leaders, the Gospel is far more than a book: it is the very person of Christ, good news for a humanity that is confused, deluded and disillusioned by so many evils.
He quenches our thirst for justice and truth and instils in us the courage to persevere in doing good and to put ourselves at the service of our neighbors, personally. You bear witness to this commitment for the young people entrusted to your care: the consistency of your lives and the maturity of your choices are, in their eyes, a very important example that helps them to grow.
Together with them, therefore, live out the beauty of the faith in daily actions and shared prayer, in the Sacraments and in the discernment of each person’s vocation: respond generously to Christ’s call, which invites you to climb to the summit, to set sail, to walk together along the path of virtue.
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Further information:
- To Members of the Italian Association of Catholic Guides and Scouts of Europe (Dicastery for Communication - Vatican Media, 6/1/26)
- Audience with the Italian Association of Catholic Guides and Scouts of Europe (Holy See Press Office, 6/1/26)
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