The Roman Catholic Diocese of Bismark,
North Dakota said this week that it was ending its sponsorship ties
with the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) over the group's decision to
allow openly gay adult leaders, volunteers and employees.
While the policy, implemented last
week, allows church-sponsored troops to “choose adults leaders
whose beliefs are consistent with their own,” Bishop David Kagan
said that it “contradicts the authoritative moral teachings of the
Catholic Church.”
“Effectively immediately, the
Catholic Church of the Diocese of Bismarck and each and every one of
its parishes, schools and other institutions is formally
disaffiliated with and from the Boy Scouts of America,” Kagan
wrote.
Cory Wrolstad, a spokesman for the Boy
Scouts' Northern Lights Council in Bismarck, said that the bishop's
decision will affect eight Boy Scout troops and Cub Scout packs in
four communities.
“They will be working to find charter
organizations within those communities, and there will be a good
chance they will be faith-based organizations,” Wrolstad told the
AP.