The organization, headquartered in France, was founded in 1956 by a group of German and French Roman Catholic Scoutmasters as a faith-based Scouting movement, in order to reconcile the European peoples in the aftermath of the Second World War.

The Catholic Scouting tradition was started by Father Jacques Sevin, Count Mario di Carpegna, professor Jean Corbisier and others.

Consultative voting members of the bureau are the spiritual advisor (ecclesiastical assistant) and the deputy commissioners.

[1] Member organizations are required to be Roman Catholic, but may accept Scouts and Guides from different Christian backgrounds.

[1] Both boys and girls can be members of the local gropups, but are strictly separated in all age groups, with some exceptions.