‘What did we do wrong?’ Girl Scout troops look for solutions after Archdiocese split

CINCINNATI — Parents, troop leaders, and Catholic community members are coming together after the Archdiocese of Cincinnati announced it is discontinuing its parishes’ partnerships with Girl Scouts.

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“The message that the archdiocese sent to girls through this decision was that they’re no longer welcome,” Catholic troop leader and Girl Scout parent Jennifer Briede told our news partners at WCPO.

Briede said the archdiocese’s separation from Girl Scouts has hit her and her girls hard.

“I have a fourth-grade troop. They’re kinda just like, my own daughter, ‘What did we do wrong? I don’t understand,’” Briede said.

She organized a meeting at Oak Hills High School so other troop leaders and parents could figure out what’s next.

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“There might be other alternatives if we start working together, that we just don’t know yet so that’s the goal of this meeting,” Briede said.

Briede said she hopes the archdiocese will consider partnering with local Catholic Girl Scout leaders to maintain their community and relationships.

The Catholic Committee, the liaison between the GSWO and the AoC, led Thursday’s meeting.

They said they hope to keep a line of communication open as the separation moves forward and to continue to foster the Catholic faith of Girl Scouts once connected with the archdiocese.

“Our primary goal is to remain committed to the spiritual development of young girls while fostering reconciliation between the archdiocese and the Girl Scouts of Western Ohio,” Amy Armstrong Smith said, a Catholic Committee member and a Girl Scout troop leader.

A large portion of Thursday’s meeting was hearing from the community.

Community members asked why the archdiocese did not think of the impact on the girls and why they did not consult group leaders before making the decision.

Briede said that one of the biggest unknowns is where troops will meet and hold events come December 2025.

The Catholic Committee says more meetings will be held, and they will continue to focus on the most important: the young women.

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