American Heritage Girls (AHG) builds women of integrity through service to God, family, community and country. AHG is a faith-based organization for girls 5 through 18, where girls experience new challenges that teach service, team-building and leadership skills in a safe and fun environment with a strong outdoor emphasis.
Religious Emblems for Catholic Scouts
- Faith in God is an important part of Scouting.
- What does it mean to be a Catholic Scouts? It means being a Scout that believes in Jesus Christ and upholding everything the Catholic Church believes and teaches.
- Scouts grow to understand their faith within scouting through earning Religious Emblems.
- Religious Emblems help Scouts grow stronger in their faith life, providing an opportunity to learn more about Catholicism and grow closer to Christ.
- Earning Religious Emblems is an important cornerstone of faith development in study, activities, prayer and community help to strengthen their spiritual foundation.
- Developing a deeper relationship with God coupled with a love and understanding of the Catholic Church will carry young people through the rest of their life.
God is Love
The program helps young girls learn about Gods great love for you and for all things too. They will explore a wide range of activities to discover the presence of God in their daily lives as members of a family, a parish and a Catholic Church.
This program is designed for scouts ages 5-7 in Grades K and 1st grade.
God is Love Medal or Patch Available
The Family of God
Family of God is an activity series developed to complement the catechetical efforts of the parish and families to help Catholic Girl Scouts, Camp Fire USA, American Heritage Girls, and Junior Catholic Daughters of Americas explore the presence of God in their lives as part of their own family, parish family, and Gods family. This program is designed for scouts ages 7-9, in Grades 2-3.
Family of God Medal or Patch Available
I Live My Faith
The “I Live My Faith” program is designed to help Catholic Girl Scouts, Camp Fire Girls, and American Heritage Girls learn more about their faith and how to live it out. Girls will reflect on what we believe as Catholics, how we celebrate those beliefs through sacraments and how prayer fits into our daily life.
This program is designed for scouts ages 9-11, in Grades 4-6.
I Live My Faith Medal or Patch Available
Marian Medal Program
The Marian Medal program helps Catholic Girl Scouts, Camp Fire Girls, and American Heritage Girls learn about the Blessed Virgin Mary and apply what they learn to their everyday life. It enables girls to “proclaim the greatness of the Lord.”
This program is designed for scouts ages 12-16, in Grades 7-10.
Marian Medal or Patch Available
The Spirit Alive
This Spirit Alive is designed to help Catholic Girl Scouts, Camp Fire USA, and American Heritage Girls grow in awareness of the Holy Spirit. It assists them in discovering how the Holy Spirit moves in their lives, calling them to greater participation in the Church’s ministry.
This program is designed for scouts ages 15 and older in grades 9 – 12.
The Spirit Alive Medal or Patch Available
Diocesan Recognition Programs & Special Awards
Pillars of Faith: Service to God
The Pillars of Faith program provides special recognition to those girls who have earned all four Catholic Religious Emblems:
- Family of God
- I Live My Faith
- Mary, the First Disciple
- Spirit Alive
Saint Agnes of Rome
The purpose of this program is to foster knowledge of Saint Agnes of Rome and to explore service to her family, church, or community, as well as to encourage scouts to learn about their patron saint. This is a local award being administered by the Diocese of Richmond.
This program is designed for Catholic girls in scouting in grades 3-12.
Bishop Walter F. Sullivan Youth Award
Bishop Walter F. Sullivan Youth Award is presented to youth for outstanding service and contributing the development of Catholic values in the programs of Scouting.
Special Adult Awards
The Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Medal
The Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Medal is to recognize contributions of adults serving the spiritual needs of Catholic members in organizations serving girls.
The Saint Anne Medal
The Saint Anne Medal is for adults working with Catholic members of National organizations serving girls. It is the highest National award in this field. The purpose of the medal is to honor the outstanding service to adults contributing to the spiritual development of Catholic members of girls organizations and to further Catholic adult leadership in ministry through organizations serving girls.
The Bronze Pelican Award
The Bronze Pelican Award is a Diocesan recognition sponsored by the Catholic Committee on Scouting for the Diocese of Richmond. It may be presented to any adult who is working with the scouting program under the Catholic auspices, to Catholics in scout units not chartered by the Church, and those who have made a significant contribution to scouting in the field of Catholic relationships. This award may be given to Catholic lay members, priests and pastoral coordinators or those of another faith who have been supportive of Catholic scouting. The purpose of this program is to recognize the recipients outstanding contribution to the development of youth in the programs of the Boy/Girl Scouts. No honorary recognitions will be made.
Additional Information
- All adult volunteers working with youth in the Diocese of Richmond are required to complete a Volunteer Application Form including a confidential reference screenings and criminal background checks. Your parish office can assist you with this process.
- Additionally, all adult volunteer participants must complete the Diocesan Safe Environment Virtus Training. To register for the Virtus Training, go on www.virtus.org to register for a training session in your area. For additional Virtus information, contact the Office of Human Resources at the Pastoral Center or by phone at 804-359-5661.
- Those scouts living outside the USA should contact the Archdiocese of Military Chaplain or the National Chaplain upon completion.
- To order any of the above awards, complete the Religious Recognition Order Form.
- Medals should be presented at a Mass, at a Diocese of Richmond Religious Emblem Ceremony or appropriate Court of Honor ceremony.
For more information, please call the Office for Evangelization at 804-622-5159 or send an email to us at scouting@richmonddiocese.org.