It’s 2014! The Troops of Saint George have come a long way. We were an idea on paper back in May of 2013. Now we have over one hundred troops in formation, plenty of hard-working Captains and Lieutenants, a Board of Directors, an Officer’s Manual, and a published ranking system.
A Full Fledged Program Based on Catholic Subsidiarity
I know that many of you hoped that we would have a full fledged program with books, hats, knifes, etc., but I think we are in a very good position for the next 12 months. I think that we are ahead of other similar programs – but we have remained small and grass-roots while practicing subsidiarity. Best of all, we are preserving our Catholic and liturgical identity.
We legally and successfully responded to the Boy Scouts of America in an amicable way. Both sides are happy. We have proven ourselves to be something beyond “scouting.” We are an apostolate dedicated to preserving the Catholic Faith from one generation to the next.
Not Just for Boys…
The most notable development is that the Troops of Saint George has grown from a “boys movement” to a “men and boys movement.” I articulated this vision from the beginning (“It’s just as much about the men as it is the boys”), but we have seen an increased interest among men who want to train and learn in the outdoors alongside their sons, grandsons, and nephews.
Future Goals
Here’s your TSG agenda for 2014:
- Recruitment. We all need to recruit 5 families to join TSG. Don’t be pushy or aggressive. Just share all the great things that are happening in your local Troop of Saint George. I hope that we grow five-fold over the next 12 months.
- Networking. There are new Captains starting troops, but they need our help and advice along the way. Please visit our TSG Community site, by clicking here to give and get support.
- Charters. I need your Application Charter. If you are serious about belonging to our movement, you need to submit your application and charter. You can find your TSG Charter Application by clicking here.
- Prayer. Please add “Saint George pray for us,” to your evening devotions. Please offer Mass intentions and Rosaries for our endeavor. Unless the Lord builds the house, the laborers build in vain.
- Bishops and Priests. We need the support of more bishops and priests. We have the support of some, but we need to humbly seek their support as we move forward. We want our bishops and fathers in Christ to know that we are their dutiful sons. Ultimately, we seek official recognition from the Holy Father. We must begin with humble reverence toward our local bishops and pastors.
- Donations. We cannot exist on TSG dues alone. They are hardly enough. We are a small, tightly-run ship. But we need your help. We are asking families to support us with $100 if they can. We also hope that Catholic business owners will become corporate sponsors to help the Troops of Saint George. We need funds to develop uniforms, badges, web design, and a Saint George Manual for boys in the next year. If you are interested in sponsoring any or all of these needs, please contact me directly.
You can give a secure online donation to the Troops of Saint George (501c3 applied) by clicking here.
So please pray and please brainstorm with me on how we can accomplish these six needs over the next twelve months. It’s going to be a great year!
Saint George, pray for us!
Godspeed,
Taylor
PS: Please keep posting more photos!
PPS: We were back-0rdered on TSG badges, but they have been sent out. If you have chartered your Troop with TSG Headquarters, but have not received your TSG limited edition gold-rimmed badges, please let me know.
