White Foulards
Trademark
UnclaimedItalian Catholic scout community whose members wear a distinctive white neckerchief and commit to serving the sick, especially at Lourdes.
Last updated September 29, 2026
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Overview
The Foulard Bianchi (White Foulards; original French name Foulards Blancs) are an Italian Catholic scout community that forms part of the international Communauté Notre Dame de Lourdes, founded at Lourdes in 1926. Its members are scouts who wear a distinctive white neckerchief (fazzolettone bianco) as a sign of a personal choice of service to the sick and to young people, particularly in the pilgrimage context of Lourdes. The community describes itself as a 'service community free from any form of welfarism' and is rooted in the spirituality of Lourdes and of the Virgin Mary. The Italian branch traces its origins to 17 May 1958, when Luciano Ferraris and the Salesian don Dusan Stefani, both leaders of the ASCI group Torino 24, founded the Clan des Hospitaliers Notre Dame de Lourdes as a detached section of the international Clan NDL. In 1959 some leaders and guides of the AGI of Turin gave life to the Feu Notre Dame, and in 1970 the Clan and the Feu merged to form the Comunità Italiana Foulard Bianchi. The movement was represented by the 'Comunità Scout italiana Notre-Dame de Lourdes Foulard Bianchi' (also known as Comunità F.B.), recognized in 1984 by AGESCI and MASCI. With the National Assembly of 2017 the community opened itself to other Christian and Catholic scout associations recognized by the CEI or members of associations recognized by the World Organization of the Scout Movement. On 14 February 2020 the Associazione Comunità scout italiana Foulard bianchi - Organizzazione di volontariato was constituted, with the same aims and in continuity with the Comunità F.B., with its own statute approved on 20 January 2020. The association was regularly recognized by AGESCI and MASCI on 26 September 2020. The community offers a specific three-stage progression for those who wish to join: postulants, novices and titular members. Taking the white neckerchief is a sign of a personal choice of service at Lourdes and of belonging to the community. The Foulard Bianchi promise integrates the classic scout promise, adding the commitment 'to serve the sick and the young at Lourdes and everywhere, in the spirit of the Hospitalité Notre Dame de Lourdes.' Both the ceremony of becoming a novice and the promise ceremony take place exclusively at Lourdes. The community's activities are directed at young members (offering experiences of service in the world of suffering and experiences of Marian spirituality), at adult members and ecclesiastical assistants (as opportunities for service, spiritual growth, witness of active charity and ongoing formation), and at adult scouts (as a commitment to service to suffering and a proposal for deepening the faith journey). Within AGESCI, the community finds expression in a specific national sector.
History
The Foulards Blancs were founded at Lourdes on 20 August 1926 as the Reparto d'Onore 1° Lourdes dell'Immacolata Concezione, at the initiative of the Jesuit Jacques Sevin (1882–1951), founder of the Scouts de France, following a pilgrimage experience of the Scouts de France in 1922. It was created as a specific sector for accompanying the sick on pilgrimage to Lourdes. Father Sevin placed Edouard De Macedo and the abbé Antoine-Louis Cornette at the head of the unit. The first three promises of the Foulards Blancs were pronounced on 21 August 1926. After the interruption caused by the Second World War, in 1947 General Joseph Lafont, head of the Scouts de France, reorganized the unit, transforming it into a Clan, and in 1948 the Feu et Clan Scout des Hospitaliers de Notre-Dame de Lourdes ('Fire and Scout Clan of the Hospitaliers of Our Lady of Lourdes') was officially constituted. In 1966 Pope Paul VI received the Foulards Blancs in Rome and Assisi on the occasion of their first international pilgrimage. In 1973 the community was closed. Since then there were many private initiatives by individual scouts who tried to recreate the Foulards Blancs. Thus was born the Fraternità Scout mista di Nostra Signora di Lourdes, open to all Catholic movements. The association of the Scouts d'Europe, however, being in disagreement with the substantially divided management between Scouts de France and Scouts unitaires de France, in 1975 founded a parallel movement: the Foulards Bleus. In 2003 the Foulards Blancs and Foulards Bleus reunited again into a single community. In Italy, Luciano Ferraris together with the Salesian don Dusan Stefani, both leaders of the group Associazione scouts cattolici italiani (ASCI) Torino 24, founded on 17 May 1958 the Clan des Hospitaliers Notre Dame de Lourdes, a detached section of the Clan International NDL. In 1959 some leaders and guides of the Associazione guide italiane (AGI) of Turin gave life to the Feu Notre Dame, and in 1970 the Clan and the Feu united to give life to the Comunità Italiana Foulard Bianchi. The movement was represented by the 'Comunità Scout italiana Notre-Dame de Lourdes Foulard Bianchi' (also known as Comunità F.B.), recognized in 1984 by the Associazione Guide e Scouts Cattolici Italiani (AGESCI) and by the Movimento Adulti Scouts Cattolici Italiani (MASCI). With the National Assembly of 2017 the Community opened itself to other Christian and Catholic scout associations recognized by the CEI or to members of associations recognized by the World Organization of the Scout Movement. On 14 February 2020 the Associazione Comunità scout italiana Foulard bianchi - Organizzazione di volontariato was constituted, with the same aims and in continuity with the Comunità F.B., with its own statute approved on 20 January 2020. The association was regularly recognized by AGESCI and MASCI on 26 September 2020, as it directs its activities: to young members by proposing experiences of service in the world of suffering and experiences of Marian spirituality, as an occasion for reflection, comparison and verification; to adult members and ecclesiastical assistants as an opportunity for commitment to service to suffering, spiritual growth, witness of active charity, and an occasion for ongoing formation to be included in one's leader project; to adult scouts as a commitment to service to suffering, a proposal for deepening the faith journey and an occasion for ongoing formation. Within AGESCI, the community finds expression in a specific national sector.
- 2020
On 14 February, Associazione Comunità scout italiana Foulard bianchi - Organizzazione di volontariato is constituted; recognized by AGESCI and MASCI on 26 September.
- 2017
National Assembly opens the community to other Christian and Catholic scout associations.
- 2003
Foulards Blancs and Foulards Bleus reunite into a single community.
- 1984
The Italian community is recognized by AGESCI and MASCI.
- 1975
Scouts d'Europe founds the parallel Foulards Bleus movement.
- 1973
The international community is closed; private initiatives later recreate it.
- 1970
The Clan and the Feu merge to form the Comunità Italiana Foulard Bianchi.
- 1966
Pope Paul VI receives the Foulards Blancs in Rome and Assisi for their first international pilgrimage.
- 1959
AGI leaders and guides in Turin create the Feu Notre Dame.
- 1958
In Italy, Luciano Ferraris and don Dusan Stefani found the Clan des Hospitaliers Notre Dame de Lourdes on 17 May.
Products and positioning
A Catholic scout community of service, free from any form of welfarism, dedicated to serving the sick and young people, especially at Lourdes.
White neckerchief (fazzolettone bianco)
The distinctive white neckerchief worn by members, symbolizing service to the sick.
Community badge (distintivo di appartenenza)
Badge applied on the right sleeve above the group or regional badge.
Trigram badge (trigramma)
Badge applied on the tip of the white neckerchief and on the right pocket of the scout shirt.
Carta di Comunità
The community charter signed during the promise ceremony.
MUF (Momento Unitario di Formazione)
A regional or interregional formation event lasting two full days, required for becoming a titular member.
Sources6 sources
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