CINCINNATI (WKRC) – After a century of partnership, the Archdiocese of Cincinnati is cutting ties with the Girl Scouts of Western Ohio.

Archbishop Dennis Schnurr said the ban came after years of investigating the organization. Eventually, the Girl Scouts’ “inclusive views on sexuality and gender” emerged.

Schnurr said after studying the issue for many years and two years of discussions with the local group, they were unable to reach an agreement.

Catholic troop leader and lifelong Girl Scout Jennifer Briede said the developments were shocking.

“It’s a tradition. I was a Girl Scout. My mom was a Girl Scout. My sister was a Girl Scout, and now my daughter is a Girl Scout too,” Briede said.

For thousands of girls in Greater Cincinnati, being Catholic and a Girl Scout is fundamental to who they are. Briede believes the archdiocese’s ban on Girl Scouts creates the wrong impression.

“We don’t want to leave the church,” Briede said. “The option of pushing us off church property; The message this sends to girls is that they need to hide; They cannot be part of the church community.”

In his letter, Schnurr said the archdiocese cannot partner with an organization that advocates ideas that the church finds false and harmful.

The “Inclusive Together” patch that encourages conversation about sexuality and gender ideology, the “Pride” patch, and social media posts promoting gay pride are examples of what is happening right now. problem for the church.

Briede said his team did not have this content.

“As a Catholic unity leader, I am not promoting any of these programs,” Briede said. “Our programming is really based on supporting our own individual faith and girl scouting principles of sisterhood.”

She said they focus on activities that girls enjoy.

“We’re promoting Score. We’re promoting physical activity,” Briede said.

Catholic troop leaders were never included in talks between the church and the Girl Scouts, Briede said.

“My own daughter said to me when I tried to explain this to her: ‘Mom, what did we do wrong? What did we do wrong? “We didn’t do anything wrong,” Briede said. “There has been no consultation at union level about the people this will actually affect, and that is girls.”

The archdiocese plans to eliminate all Girl Scout troops from its churches by the end of 2025. He gives them three options: move into the American Heritage Girls corps — a faith-based spinoff; find another place to meet; or disperse. Briede does not believe any of these options are feasible.

“Catholic girls in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati enjoy being Catholic, and we as parents want to maintain our Catholic faith, but we also want to make sure that our girls have opportunities and that opportunities are available with Girl Scouts,” Briede said. “There are many parents who are concerned about this decision and the impact it is having on young girls.”

American Heritage Girls is rooted in the Catholic faith, but Girl Scouts offers more, she said.

“Girl Scouting is about sisterhood. It’s about enjoying time together. It’s about lifting girls up and giving them the opportunity to shine and discover themselves as leaders; as women of the world, girls of the world, and future leaders of this country. American Heritage Girls does not offer the same level of programming,” Briede said.

The Girl Scouts of Western Ohio (GSWO) said in a statement that the archdiocese’s decision to end its more than 100-year partnership is extremely disappointing.

They said the Girl Scouts of Western Ohio has always been a secular organization that welcomes girls of all faiths. They hope the archdiocese will return to the conversation so they can continue to work together.

Briede plans a meeting of Catholic union leaders and invites representatives from both organizations to find a solution.