Kansas City Archdiocese Severs Ties With Girl Scouts Over Ties With Planned Parenthood
The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas has decided to sever ties with the Girl Scouts of USA for its alleged promotion of abortion and links with Planned Parenthood.
In a statement issued on Monday and in a Facebook post, Archbishop F. Joseph Naumann said the Girl Scouts is "no longer a compatible partner in helping us form young women with the virtues and values of the Gospel."
In a letter to priests earlier in January, the Archbishop also "called for an end to Girl Scout cookie sales in the archdiocese" after the 2016-2017 school year, according to the Kansas City Star.
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Naumann announced that the archdiocese is switching its support to American Heritage Girls (AHG), a Christian-based scouting program.
AHG is a Christian-based scouting organization that promotes more conservative values, more in line with current Church doctrine.
For instance, the organization's Statement of Faith notes the sanctity of marriage as "a lifelong commitment before God between a man and a woman."
The Archbishop said that before it came to its decision, the archdiocese had spent "hundreds of hours researching concerns" and dialoguing with Girl Scouts leaders about "the new direction of national Girl Scouting reflected in the content of their program materials," Lifesite News reported.
"Eventually it came down to this: Our greatest responsibility as a Church is to the children and young people in our care," he said. "It is essential that all youth programs at our parishes affirm virtues and values consistent with our Catholic faith."
Naumann said the day has come when Christians in the world must no longer be "of" the world. "To follow Jesus and his Gospel will often require us to be counter-cultural," he said.
The archbishop listed several concerns, including the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts' promotion of abortion worldwide "as preventative healthcare for women."
Former Girl Scouts CEO Kathy Cloninger has also admitted that Girl Scouts partners with Planned Parenthood to bring sexual information to its young scouts girls. In line with this, the organization allowed its official logo to be printed on the Planned Parenthood brochure titled "Dating, Love, Sex, and HIV."
The Girl Scouts also points its members to www.stayteen.org and www.kidshealth.org, two websites that refer girls to Planned Parenthood.
Moreover, various Girl Scouts groups have honored as role models pro-abortion leaders, including Hillary Clinton, and groups like Amnesty International. In contrast, these groups have not honored any pro-life leader.
Naumann said the archdiocese prefers "to partner with youth organizations that share our values and vision for youth ministry, not ones that we have to monitor constantly to protect our children from being misled and misinformed."
He said American Heritage Girls "is a much better fit for our parishes."
According to its website, the Girl Scouts of USA has a history of partnership with the Church going back more than 100 years.
However, that relationship has become strained in recent years due to the organization's alleged support of women's reproductive rights and LGBTQ members. Nevertheless, the Girl Scouts insists that it does not have an official position on reproductive rights, abortion, or sexuality issues, and has no affiliation with Planned Parenthood.
