8 January 2025 60th ICCG’s Aniversary

After many years of meetings, gatherings, conferences and negotiations, between 5th and 10th January 1965, representatives from 12 WAGGGS’ full members countries and six countries that were recognized as being in process of affiliation, meet in Rome.

The aims of this meeting were to constitute the International Catholic Conference of Guiding. It was urgent and necessary because  during the second session of the  Vatican II Ecumenical Council, wich was under way, a permanent secretariat of the Laty Apostolate had been created. The Catholic Girl Guide associations could not take part in the meetings of this Secretariat until the ICCG had been set up.

The constitutive assembly therefote had to vote the official texts and the various association present that wishes to join the International Catholic Conference of Guiding.

The agenda also includes a discussion on the Memorandum of Understanding between the ICCG and WAGGGS, the drawing up of a programme for the years to follow and the election of the Secretariat.

The WAGGGS World Committee  was represented by  Perle Bugnion-Secrétan.

The agenda for this constitutive meeting was rather institutional. Although spiritual momennts ando visits to Rome had been planned.

They reviewed all the texts to be adopted, point by point. Despite the fact that the delegates knew they could no longer amend the texts that had been approved by the Holy See, a number of difficulties arose in relation to the Charter. Hours of discussion were still necessary, especially in relation to the Modus Agendi with WAGGGS. Some countries feared that it would not be adopted by WAGGGS and made this adoption a condition for their membership. It was also requested that this text should be considered and “official” ICCG text , even if it could not be viewed on the same level as the three text adopted by the Vatican.

Finally the meeting reached its historic moment: Alix de Saint- Víctor, who was chairing the session, called on the countries one by one to make a statement relating to the ICCG’s official texts, namely the Charter, The Constitution and Bye-Laws. By signalling their agreement, these Associations become constituents of the International Catholic Conference of Guiding. These were: Pfadfinderinneschaft Sankt George (Federal Republic of Germany), Österreicher Pfadfinderinnenver-band Sankt- Georg (Austria), Guides  Catholiques de Belgique and Vlaams Verbond van Katholieke Meisjesgidsen (Belgium), ), Federacao das Bandeirantes do Brasil (Brazil), Guides Catholiques du Canada- French’s section-, Guides centrafricaines (Central African Republic), Guides de la Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Federation des Guides du Congo-Léo (Congo Leopoldville), Guías de España (Spain), Guías St-Jordi (Catalonia), Guides de France (France), Girl Guide Association of Grat-Britain-Cathjolic Guide Advisory Council-, Associazione Guide Italiane, Fürstlich-Liechtensteinisches Pfadfinderinnenkorps Santa María (Liechtestein), Letzenburger Guiden (Luxemburg), Fanilon´í Madagasikara (Madagascar), Association es Guides de Monaco (Monaco), Nederlandse Gidsenbeweging (Netherland), Union Suisse des Eclaireuses Catholiques of the Fédération des Eclaireuses Suisses (Switzerland). Since de chaplain representing the Guides d´Haiti was not authorised to vote, it was suggested thar the could confirme their membership by writing.

The International Catholic Conference of Guiding  was established on 8 January 1965 by 12 full members countries  and six countries that were recognised as being in yhe process of afiliation.

The ICCG´s first action was to unimously approve the text of the Memoraundum of  understanding with WAGGGS “Modus Agendi”. Then, they elected to Marie- Thérèse Cheroutre General Secretary and Marion Gilbey (Great Britain), Rosita Bahiana (Brazil), Cecilia Lodoli (Italy), Marie-Claire Laloux (Belgium), Alexa Ehrke (Germany) y  Margrit Huber-Staffelbach (Switzerland) like Secretariat members. (Extracted from “A history of Catholic Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, Sophie Wittemans).

As in those days, 60 years ago, the ICCG still has many challenges ahead of it which, with the help of Our Lord, can be met and new achievements can be made.

Happy 60th Anniversary ICCG!