The Leaven in the Dough project took its first major step in November 2025, as adult and young leaders, chaplains and spiritual animators from 23 countries gathered in Frascati (Rome) for a week of formation, prayer and shared discernment on spiritual leadership, synodality and social transformation through Scouting. Participants came from Rwanda, Senegal, Egypt, Côte d’Ivoire, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, Burkina Faso, Mauritius, Benin, Brazil, Paraguay, Macao, Romania, Portugal, the United States, Italy, Spain, Hong Kong, Korea, Thailand, Lebanon and Uruguay, expressing the global diversity and vitality of Catholic Scouting.
First stage of a three-year project
The seminar opened the three-year journey “Leaven in the Dough” (2024–2027), supported by Porticus, which aims to promote the integral formation of children and young people, uniting the Scout Method with the transforming power of the Gospel and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. All the themes addressed during the week were presented as introductory foundations, to be explored in depth during the 2026 online formation programme and then translated into local projects designed by each participating association.
Synodality: the key to the whole process
Among the various dimensions explored, synodality emerged as the unifying key of the entire project. Guided by Sr. Nathalie Becquart from the General Secretariat of the Synod, participants learned and practiced the method of conversation in the Spirit, characterised by silence, attentive listening, inner resonance and the search for a shared synthesis. This experience demonstrated how the Holy Spirit speaks through each person and how community discernment can renew leadership and mission.
Synodality was shown to be not only the way the Church is called to act today, but also deeply aligned with the Scout Method, which values patrol life, shared responsibility, learning by doing and decisions rooted in dialogue and mutual trust.
Presence of the ICCS World Committee
The seminar was enriched by the active involvement of the ICCS World Committee, whose members participated in all sessions and held separate working meetings. This shared journey also included a dedicated moment of reflection on the mission of ICCS as a bridge between the Church and the Scout Movement, during the session “Building Bridges between the Church and Scouting”, led by Mons. Dario Gervasi, Deputy Secretary of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life, together with the ICCS World Committee. The session underscored how Catholic Scouting can serve both the life of the Church and the global movement of WOSM
through dialogue, collaboration and synodal leadership, renewing awareness of ICCS’s identity as a link fully Catholic and fully part of WOSM. During this moment, Georges Ghorayeb and Christian Larcher, who have served Catholic and world Scouting with exemplary dedication over many decades, received the Pontifical Order of St. Gregory the Great in recognition of their outstanding contribution to the education and spiritual growth of young people.
A rich and inspiring week of formation
Throughout the week, participants were introduced to the fundamental dimensions that shape Catholic Scouting today. They explored spiritual leadership as the art of accompanying the inner life of children and young people; youth leadership as a process of growth, responsibility and agency rooted in WOSM’s educational vision; and Christian anthropology, which reflects on the dignity and vocation of every human person.
The seminar also opened paths into Catholic Social Teaching, linking the insights of the rich heritage of Christian social thought with the concrete challenges faced by Scout groups in their local contexts — from ecology and climate justice to migration, poverty and social fragmentation. These themes were complemented by reflections on interiority, spirituality and religious belonging, essential for helping young people recognise and welcome God’s presence; on safeguarding and the creation of caring communities, where every young person feels safe, valued and able to flourish; and on communication for mission, highlighting the need to express the identity and witness of Catholic Scouting clearly and credibly.
These topics formed a coherent and inspiring introduction, preparing the ground for deeper formation in the next phases of the project.
Speakers and contributors
The seminar benefited from the expertise and testimony of:
- Sr. Nathalie Becquart XMCJ, Undersecretary of the Synod of Bishops
- Fr. Gilfredo Marengo, Vice President, Pontifical John Paul II Theological Institute
- Tebaldo Vinciguerra, Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development
- Isabella Bruckner, Professor, Pontifical Athenaeum Sant’Anselmo
- Fr. Sergio Massironi, Consultant, Secretariat of State
- Fr. Roberto Del Riccio SJ, former National Chaplain of AGESCI
- Chris Meadows, Consultant to the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM)
- Fr. Romuald Uzabumwana SAC, Lecturer, Pontifical Gregorian University – Institute of Anthropology (IADC)
- Fabrice Ouattara, Consultant to WOSM
- Llanos Meseguer, Chief Operating Officer, La Machi Communication for Good Causes
- Raquel Kritinas, ICCS Project Manager
Jubilee Pilgrimage to St Peter’s
A highlight of the week was the Jubilee Pilgrimage through the Holy Door of St Peter’s Basilica, where participants prayed for the Church, for the Scout Movement, for the young people entrusted to them and for peace in the world.
Next steps (2026–2027)
The journey now continues with:
- online formation modules in 2026, offering deeper development of each theme;
- local projects in 2026–2027, implemented by each association;
- ongoing accompaniment by the ICCS international animation team;
- shared evaluation, exchange and international collaboration.
ICCS hopes that the seeds planted in Frascati will grow into a network of leaders, chaplains and young people who — like leaven in the dough — quietly and steadily transform their communities from within, in the Church, in Scouting and in society.