Alaska archbishop finds Scouting has a spiritual side too

Scouting doesn’t get a lot of recognition these days. Whether it’s a wilderness adventure or learning a new skill, the diverse programs of the Boy Scouts and Girls Scouts offer young people the chance to become better prepared for life.

Surely there are a lot of advantages to Scouting and one bishop is investing some of his valuable time and energy in promoting this  worthwhile activity.

A recent story in the Catholic Anchor, newspaper of the Archdiocese of Anchorage, Alaska, looks at the work of Archbishop Roger Schweitz, a former Scout himself, who believes Scouting for both boys and girls has a definite spiritual side in addition to the fun activities.

Knights on horseback at papal audience

VATICAN CITY — A group of Knights of Malta and members of the Italian forestry police from the region around L’Aquila — devastated by an earthquake last April — rode their horses the 70 miles from L’Aquila to the papal audience in St. Peter’s Square this morning.

(Cindy Wooden/CNS)

Father Romano Damy, the knights’ chaplain, said the group left L’Aquila last Thursday and mounted their pilgrimage to thank the pope for visiting the region a few weeks after the quake.