Archbishop of Cincinnati ends 110-year partnership with Girl Scouts over violations of Catholic teaching

Archbishop Dennis Schnurr of Cincinnati has officially ended a 110-year partnership with the Girl Scouts of USA (GSUSA), citing the organization’s contradiction of Church teaching about the human person. According to Schnurr, several activities and badge requirements promoted by Girl Scouts propagate a viewpoint contrary to the Catholic understanding of gender and sexuality.

In a letter dated October 28, he announced that schools and parishes within the Archdiocese of Cincinnati would sever ties with GSUSA by the end of 2025. The activities the archbishop referred to includes allowing gender-confused boys to spend the night with girls on camping trips and offering a special “LGBTQ+ Pride Month Celebration Fun Patch.”

Negotiations with GSUSA have been ongoing since a 2014 investigation by the Council of Bishops discovered that GSUSA regularly contributes to an organization that promotes “sexual and reproductive rights.” However, talks broke down, leading to the archbishop’s decision to discontinue the partnership. As of 2025, Girl Scout troops operating on any Catholic campus must convert to an American Heritage Girls troop, find a new location, or disband. No new Girl Scout troops can be established in the interim.

The American Heritage Girls organization is a Christian alternative to GSUSA that refuses to bow to the LGBT agenda. Several dioceses nationwide have also cut ties with GSUSA and aligned with the American Heritage Girls.