Religious Emblems Program
Ad Altare Dei Requirements

Eligibility:

The Ad Altare Dei program was designed for boys 13 or 14 years old.   You must be Catholic and a registered member of the BSA, active in your troop for 6 months, and have completed the sixth grade, before beginning this program.

Purpose:

The purpose of the Ad Altare Dei program is to help Catholic Scouts of the Roman Rite develop a fully Christian way of life in a faith community.  The program is organized in chapters based on the seven Sacraments.  The seven Sacraments are a primary means toward spiritual growth.

Instructions:

  1. Ask your Scoutmaster, Pastor or the Catholic Committee on Scouting if there is a religious emblems counselor in your parish or area.  If there is such a counselor available, ask him/her to help you with the program.
  2. Complete the application form before you begin the program.   Obtain the signatures of your parent, Scoutmaster, counselor and pastor for approval to work on the program.  Leave the application in the workbook until the Board of Review.
  3. Complete all steps in the workbook before presenting yourself to the Religious Emblems Board of review.
  4. All journal entries, reports, and written work should be legible and neat. this book is to be examined by the counselor as you proceed through each chapter of the program.  It will also be a tool to help you at the Board of Review, and to help explain your spiritual growth to others.
  5. The use of a Catholic Bible is required for this program.
  6. there are three parts to each chapter.  The three parts are: Life Experience, Activity and Faith Response.  When all parts of a chapter are completed, review your work with your counselor.  He/she will sign and date the certification of completion for the chapter.
  7. When all chapters have been completed, your counselor should contact your Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting Chairperson or Chaplain for further direction concerning Board of Review and presentation instructions.

Activities:

SECTION ONE -- INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER 1: Sacraments and Sacramentals in Our Daily Life

Goal: As a Scout, to recognize the signs of faith in your daily life, and their importance.

A. LIFE EXPERIENCE:

  1. Symbolism of Scout Sign, Scout Badge and Scout Handshake/other symbols in daily life/symbols of your faith.

    B. ACTIVITY:

  1. Traditions and meanings of symbols of your faith

    C. FAITH RESPONSE:

  1. Lessons learned from Mass readings and homily for 3 weeks.
  2. Summarize ideas of chapter in skit, video presentation, audio presentation or poster/banner.

    D. ON-GOING PROGRAM ACTIVITY:

  1. Attend a retreat or Day of Recollection.

SECTION TWO -- SACRAMENTS OF INITIATION

CHAPTER 2: Baptism

Goal: As a Scout, to discover how Baptism is the start of your life in Christ, and a covenant union with God.

    A. LIFE EXPERIENCE:

  1. Expectations of becoming a Scout.
  2. Facts about your Baptism.
  3. Covenants

    B. ACTIVITY:

  1. Compare Ten Commandments with Scout Law.
  2. Details of Rite of Baptism and relationship to Scouting.
  3. Make up a prayer based on Scout Oath.

    C. FAITH RESPONSE:

  1. Prayer service with renewal of baptismal promises.

CHAPTER 3: Confirmation

Goal: As a Scout, to discover the role of the Holy Spirit in your daily Christian life.

    A. LIFE EXPERIENCE:

  1. Team spirit/spirit of Scouting/spirit of parish family.
  2. Tradition of Holy Spirit.
  3. Holy Spirit active in parish, other people, yourself.
  4. Gifts and fruits of the Spirit

    B. ACTIVITY:

  1. Details of Rite of Confirmation and relationship to Scouting.
  2. Witnessing.
  3. Human dignity discussed through art project, skit or newspaper articles.

    C. FAITH RESPONSE:

  1. Service project that uses your gifts/talents.
  2. Prayer service that emphasizes gifts of the Spirit.

CHAPTER 4: Eucharist

Goal: As a Scout, to explain how the Eucharist unites me with my Christian past, and strengthens me for the present and future.

    A. LIFE EXPERIENCE:

  1. Family unity through family gathering.
  2. Scouting family unity.
  3. Traditions of Last Supper and unity of the group.
  4. Traditions of Eucharist throughout history.

    B. ACTIVITY:

  1. Power and meaning of "bread"/unity of Eucharist.
  2. Eucharist as a sacrifice.
  3. Do a good turn in a spirit of sacrifice.
  4. Service project to bring presence of Jesus to others.
  5. Prejudices as barriers to brotherly cooperation.

    C. FAITH RESPONSE:

  1. Make an item suitable for Eucharistic Meal.
  2. Attend 2 Eucharistic celebrations: one with AAD group, one with family for Sunday Mass. Compare both celebrations.
  3. What can I do to make celebration of Eucharist more meaningful? DO IT!!

SECTION THREE -- SACRAMENTS OF HEALING

CHAPTER 5: Reconciliation

Goal: As a Scout, to grow in understanding God's unconditional love through the gift of forgiveness and reconciliation in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

A. LIFE EXPERIENCE:

  1. Disagreements and how friendships are affected.
  2. Scripture readings: the Good Thief; the Prodigal Son.
  3. Steps necessary for the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

B. ACTIVITY

  1. Why we need to confess our sins.
  2. Choices/sin/consequences/restitution.
  3. Asking for forgiveness.
  4. Forgiving others.
  5. Reconciliation and Scout Spirit.

C. FAITH RESPONSE

  1. Express ideas of God's forgiveness through collage, video, audio presentation or a play.

 CHAPTER 6: Anointing of the Sick

Goal: As a Scout, to grow in understanding the Church's healing ministry to the sick, and the Christian attitude toward suffering and illness.

A. LIFE EXPERIENCE:

  1. Fears and concerns of being sick.
  2. Jesus' concern for the sick.
  3. Healing ministry of the early Church.

B. ACTIVITY:

  1. Attend an anointing of read the Rite.
  2. Situations for the Sacrament.
  3. Spiritual care of a sick/dying Catholic and non-Catholic.
  4. Other ways to carry out ministry to the sick.

C. FAITH RESPONSE:

  1. Write a prayer to share with a sick person.
  2. Give service to elderly, sick or injured person(s) for a period of 1 month.

 SECTION FOUR -- SACRAMENTS OF SERVICE

CHAPTER 7: Holy Orders

Goal: As a Scout, to investigate how ordination helps individuals grow in holiness and witness Christ's love through their ministerial service to the people of God.

A: LIFE EXPERIENCE:

  1. A person who exemplifies the Scout Slogan and his/her importance to the Troop, community, and/or you.
  2. Scripture readings: the call, selection, and mission of the Bishop/Priest.

    B: ACTIVITY:

  1. Attend an ordination or read the Rite of Ordination.
  2. Talk with Bishop, Priest or Deacon about his calling, ordination, how he helps the Church, how he witnesses Christ's love to others, how he lives out his Christian commitment to his community.
  3. Role of priest, bishop or deacon in diocese today.
  4. Maturity and qualities needed to become a bishop, priest or deacon.
  5. Visit a seminary.

C: FAITH RESPONSE:

  1. Assist in a parish ministry project. Write paper on similarities of ministry to Scout Slogan, Oath, and Law.
  2. Make a poster, video, audio presentation, skit, story showing how and why you appreciate a bishop, priest or deacon.

CHAPTER 8: Marriage

Goal: As a Scout, investigate how Marriage helps spouses to grow in holiness and to witness Christ's love, through each other and their family.

A. LIFE EXPERIENCE:

  1. Elements of a successful Scouting experience.
  2. Companionship and support.
  3. Teamwork in marriage.

B. ACTIVITY

  1. Attend a Catholic wedding or read the Rite of Marriage.
  2. Discuss marriage with parents.
  3. Marriage and witnessing Christ's love and commitment to the community.
  4. Qualities needed to become a good husband and father.

C. FAITH RESPONSE:

  1. Do something to help family grow stronger.
  2. Select a couple you admire. Make a poster, video, audio presentation, play or write an article indicating why you appreciate them.

    3.