Pope Leo’s address to the Italian Association of Catholic Guides and Scouts of Europe
Audience Hall – Monday, 1st June 2026
“If God wills, forever!”
(Motto for 50th Anniversary of Catholic Guides and Scouts of Europe)
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Peace be with you!
Pope Leo’s address
Dear brothers and sisters,
“If God wills, forever!”
This is the motto you have chosen for the fiftieth anniversary of your Association.
As I have the pleasure of meeting you just a few days after the Solemnity of Pentecost, which literally means “the fiftieth”, I hope that this joyful anniversary will be for you like a new Pentecost.
May the Holy Spirit descend upon each of you, as he did upon the Apostles gathered in the Upper Room
(Acts 2:1 – When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place).
The Acts of the Apostles reminds us that the gift of the Spirit enlivens life.
It opens us to mission and creates understanding between different languages
(Acts 2:4 – they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance).
Indeed, the gift of the risen Christ helps us find new ways to bear witness to the beauty of our faith.
This proclamation of salvation is full of hope and encourages us to make righteous choices in all that we do.
For the past fifty years, the Italian Association of Catholic Guides and Scouts of Europe has developed a unique approach to sharing their faith.
Using the tools devised according to Baden-Powell’s vision, we accompany boys and girls on their journey to encounter Jesus, the Master of the good life, the faithful Friend, and the just and strong Guide.
Life in the open air and contact with nature are essential aspects of your activity.
They reveal God’s goodness through the traces left by the Creator Himself in creation.
Wisely, you combine the book of nature with the Word of God.
This combination preserves the meaning of history and sustains us when life’s path puts us to the test.
Like a spring of fresh water, the Holy Scriptures can enlighten and sustain your experiences of human and spiritual growth, both personally and within the community.
As Pope Francis said, “I invite you to keep [the Gospel] with you always, as your navigator – the Gospel is the true navigator for the journey of life – and to open it each day, because the Gospel is the map for life”
(Address to the International Union of Guides and Scouts of Europe, 3 August 2019).
Dear Scout Leaders,
The Gospel is more than just a book; it is the person of Christ—good news for a confused, deluded, and disillusioned humanity.
Christ quenches our thirst for justice and truth, instilling in us the courage to persevere in doing good and serving 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 a very important example for them and help them grow.
Together with them, live out the beauty of the faith through daily actions, shared prayer, the sacraments, and discerning each person’s vocation.
Respond generously to Christ’s call to climb to the summit, set sail, and walk together along the path of virtue.
The priests who serve as your assistants guarantee the bond between the Church and your association.
They dedicate their priestly ministry to serving young people and your leadership.
They share with you the responsibility of educating and spiritually growing young people.
The Scout method puts people at the center, caring for all aspects of their relationships and human richness.
In this regard, your association’s pedagogical choice is expressed by educating boys and girls in separate sections, so as to devote specific attention to each group.
Exploring the fundamental characteristics of being a woman or a man prepares one for an authentic and conscious encounter with others, fostering mutual growth.
The Scout method aims to form good Christians and good citizens, which is achieved through an educational partnership between leaders and each girl and boy at the various stages of their journey.
In these complex times, I appreciate your decision as an association to foster a sense of European identity on a cultural, not political, level.
I also support your commitment to building a Europe of peoples united by the highest values of Christian humanism, not merely a Europe of business.
Service is the element that unifies all components of Baden-Powell’s method.
It lies at the heart of his educational philosophy.
Serving means offering one’s skills and time freely to others without expecting anything in return.
Service develops altruism, solidarity, care for others, and a sense of social responsibility. When lived in faith, service frees us from self-centeredness, indifference, and isolation, opening us to community and responsibility, from small acts of kindness to mutual care.
The Scouting adventure helps us discover how our humanity is illuminated and engaged by God’s work, the true education of us all.
Dear Scouts and Guides,
While I encourage you to continue the activities of your association with joy and commitment, I pray that the Holy Spirit will multiply his gifts among you so that you will know how to speak and spread the languages of charity, welcome, and peace.
I entrust you to the maternal guidance of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and I cordially impart my apostolic blessing upon you and your loved ones.
