In Reversal, Cincinnati Archdiocese Welcomes Back Girl Scouts to Catholic Spaces

In a move that can serve as a model for relationships between Catholic institutions and groups which have pro-LGBTQ+ polices, the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and the regional chapter of the Girl Scouts of America have reached an agreement which will allow the youth organization to use Catholic facilities once again, after having been expelled from archdiocesan facilities in November of 2024.

The agreement mends a more than 100-year relationship between the two organizations which ended in 2024 when the then-Archbishop of Cincinnati, Dennis Schnurr, said that the Girl Scouts USA organization “embraced and promoted” an “impoverished worldview regarding gender and sexuality” because of their pro-LGBTQ+ positions. 

The new agreement, signed by the new archbishop, Robert Casey, adds several new policies to the existing Memorandum of Understanding which covers many logistical and legal issues such as insurance and child protection background checks for the Girl Scouts of Western Ohio (GSWO), the regional organization.  The new policies are:

1. The GSWO “agrees that itsemployees, agents, and volunteers shall not in any way advocateor promote a policy, program,resource, view, or position that contradicts or undermines Archdiocese policy or Catholicteaching on faith or morals related to their services and programs for the troops and groups thatare registered to meet at Catholic Facilities.”
2. The GSWO will add the following statement as a footer to their website:

“By agreement, the Girl Scouts of Western Ohio may utilize the facilities of Catholic parishes,schools, agencies, and other institutions within the Archdiocese of Cincinnati which operate under the administrative authority of the Archbishop of Cincinnati. This does not mean that the Archdiocese of Cincinnati endorses all policies, programs, or resources of the GirlScouts of Western Ohio or other Girl Scouts organizations.”

Archbishop Robert Casey

Aimee Sproles

The two organizations also agreed to the following:

“The Archdiocese agrees to maintain regular and ongoing communication with GSWO.

“The parties agree to discuss in good faith any disputes that arise between them having todo with Church teaching and/or Archdiocesan policy.”

[Click here and scroll down to read the entire Memorandum of Understanding.]

Fox 19 TV in Cincinnati reported on a statement from Archbishop Robert Casey:

“Girl Scouts is a secular organization, and as such, they do not share all of our views. As the Catholic Church we are called to uphold the Gospel and teach young people the Truth of the Catholic faith. Despite these differences, we have reached a mutual understanding that allows us to fulfill our mission as Church in the faithful formation of young girls while also accessing all that is best about Girl Scouting.”

The news story also quoted from the reaction of Aimée Sproles, Girl Scouts of Western Ohio President & CEO:

“At Girl Scouts, we believe that a part of girls’ healthy development is encouraging girls in their spiritual journey, through partnerships with their individual faith communities. This renewed partnership allows our Catholic Girl Scouts to have the support of their family and the Catholic community as they grow in courage, confidence, and character.”

What is significant about this arrangement is that it shows that the power of dialogue can often overcome differences.  Instead of simply cutting ties with an organization, Archbishop Casey shows that accommodations can be made, allowing for the good of the youth to be the top priority over doctrinal or political issues.  Unfortunately, in the past, we have seen too many cases of Catholic leaders closing their doors to groups with pro-LGBTQ+ positions, even if the groups were doing important and life-giving work for the community.  Particularly egregious were the cutting of funds from the U.S. bishops’ conference’s Campaign for Human Development because an organization may have simply been in coalition with an LGBTQ+ group. Even sadder, it seemed that it was only issues of sexual orientation and gender identity that were used as litmus tests for whether a group could use a Catholic facility.

Admittedly, this new agreement is not perfect.  In some respects, it gives more power to the Archdiocese to make decsions. For example, one policy states: “The Archdiocese reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to dismiss individual scout leaders, employees, volunteers, and/or entire troops for a violation of this Agreement.”  However, the overall spirit of the agreement is a giant step forward for developing better relationships between Catholic institutions and organizations which support LGBTQ+ people.

Fox 19 TV  reported that Archbishop Casey said that the GSWO and the archdiocese “‘engaged in intentional dialogue’ to share their views and their purposes.”  Our church needs more of this kind of engagement, the kind that instead of shutting off all communication and association, instead finds common ground.

Today is the feast of St. Therese of Liseiux, the Little Flower.  One of her mottoes was “by little and by little.”  That is how all improvement and advancement grows.  This news about the Cincinnati archdiocese and the GSWO is certainly more than a little step in the right direction.

—Francis DeBernardo, New Ways Miinistry, October 1, 2025