History of the Federation of North-American Explorers (FNE)
The Untold Story | By Paul Ritchi, FNE Founder and General Commissioner for Canada
The firsthand account below is preserved from Paul Ritchi’s original history and was updated by him in November 2026. Headings and paragraph spacing have been organized for web accessibility, navigation and search engines; the first-person storytelling remains intact.
Introduction — Looking Back on the First Twenty Years
In August 2024, current members, parents, and priests came together to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the formation of the first-ever FNE group, the 1st Four Arrows. We looked back at the struggles we had to overcome to help FNE survive as a movement. It’s important that, together, we appreciate how we got to where we are today. We have accomplished a great deal already, and we have so much more to discover and explore.
Our programme has a deep impact and offers significant opportunities for those involved. On a scale of 1 to 100, where 100 is a fully engaged and realised programme, we started with a score closer to minus 35 after our first year. Today I’d say we are about plus 55. This is good news, as so much more growth and development await our youth, leaders, and FNE families. The following is the untold story shared by founding FNE group members two decades after its inception.
New Beginnings: The First FNE Group in 1999
I’ve been leading scouting groups ever since I was a teenager, and it all began with the well-known organization called Scouts Canada. But as the years went by and the world became increasingly secular, their programme drifted from my core values and beliefs about faith. So in July 1999, with a few others who shared the same sentiments, we left behind the name and support of Canada’s best-funded scouting group, the uniforms, camping equipment, canoes, … everything! We started our own new group with absolutely nothing to our name, except hope – hope that we could provide something much better for our sons.
With no assets to begin with, we reached out to the wider community for financial assistance. Within three months, we received vital donations that enabled us to buy uniforms and basic camping equipment, and to participate in early promotional efforts to help spread the word about our fledgling movement.
In September 1999, we joined a traditional scouting organisation based in Quebec, the AEBP (Association des Eclaireurs Baden-Powell), which at the time was part of a larger Catholic movement in Europe, the FSE/UIGSE (Fédération du Scoutisme Européen - Union Internationale des Guides et Scouts d’Europe). Translating from AEBP’s French name, we adopted the name Baden-Powell Scouts.
A Legal Struggle and Our New Identity (2000)
Things were going well until I received a cease-and-desist letter from Scouts Canada’s legal counsel in the spring of 2000, threatening legal action against me and our group unless we complied immediately. At the time, we were known as Baden-Powell Beavers, Wolf Cubs, Scouts, and Rovers; all of these terms were copyrighted. After much deliberation, we changed our name to Baden-Powell Explorers, with programme names of Otters, Timberwolves, Explorers, and Wayfarers. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as it helped us craft our own identity.
Encounters with the Larger FSE Family (2002–2005)
Our first real introduction to the FSE group came during World Youth Day 2002, when Toronto welcomed Pope John Paul II and followers of Christ from around the world. Italian Wayfarers of FSE contacted us to request logistical support, including lodging and camping sites, as well as transport. This wonderful interaction with our FSE brothers and sisters helped us appreciate that we are part of a larger, well-established Explorer family in Europe. We learned so much in a short time, and it gave us a glimpse of what our growing movement could become.
In 2005, we embarked on our first-ever international voyage, a bold and brave Pilgrimage to Rome, Italy, during Easter. This inspirational journey proved to be an incredible spiritual, social, and transformative experience. For our Timberwolves and Explorers, the inaugural joint meeting with FSE also took place. This Pilgrimage marked the first of four intercontinental summits, with the latest taking place in 2017 during Holy Week. Here, one boy even received his first Holy Communion in front of St. Francis of Assisi’s Tomb, the patron saint of our FNE Timberwolves!
Our Departure from AEBP, but Not FSE (2007)
Unfortunately, just as Scouts Canada gave in to societal secular pressures, so too did the AEBP. By June 2007, they had decided to leave FSE and become an independent organisation. The 1st Four Arrows, however, wanted to remain within the FSE family. Hence, I flew to France in August of that year to discuss the future of the 1st Four Arrows Baden-Powell Explorers and FSE.
After three long days of discussions and negotiations with FSE’s Federal Commissioner, it was agreed that we would have all rights to the FSE programme within North America. This was when we renamed our movement to what it is today – the Federation of North American Explorers (FNE Explorers).
Why did we choose to stay with FSE? Because they offered a programme and support that would remain true to keeping Christ at the centre of our ultimate cause – to help Save Souls!
What’s in a Name? The Meaning of 1st Four Arrows
So why was the first FNE Group named the 1st Four Arrows? Unbeknownst to us at the time, and admittedly owing to our then limited understanding of the FSE programme, our local FNE group was supposed to be named after a special saint and protector. Nonetheless, there were several reasons for keeping our original name.
For one, it characterises the programme’s operation throughout the year, across the four seasons: autumn, winter, spring, and summer. Secondly, it recognises all four distinct levels of our programme: Otters, Timberwolves, Explorers, and Wayfarers. Thirdly, it embodies the four cardinal points of a compass, representing our drive to explore. Finally, it symbolises four of the seven Blessed Sacraments that we hope all will receive before leaving the youth level of the FNE programme: Baptism, Confession, Holy Communion, and Confirmation.
The Early Years of FNE and Their Challenges
Though we had a long-distance relationship with our European brothers and sisters, we were all alone in North America. In 2007, the FNE/FSE brand was virtually unknown among our Catholic communities. Like any new organisation, and even more so for a movement, starting up is an enormous endeavour, and it is often very difficult to maintain the pace and keep it going compared with a well-established group.
We struggled on. We realized we did not understand the FSE method well enough. For the most part, we were just another youth group that had a tough time retaining its members. But then we invited a senior FSE leader to attend one of our Explorers summer camps, and it proved to be a truly eye-opening experience for us. At that camp, we received dynamic, much-needed training that helped transform the Explorers programme (and, by extension, our other FNE programmes) into a way of life guided by the proven FSE method. Although painful at first, we now enjoy the fruits of our labour and will continue to reap the rewards in the future.
And Then There Were Two: FNE Expands to the USA (2011)
At last, the FNE family started to grow. In November of 2011, like-minded parents in New Jersey caught wind of the FSE/FNE movement and formed the second FNE group. Then another group came aboard, then another. Today, FNE comprises about 35 groups across North America, with over 2,200 members strong.
We realise that we are all stronger when we work and learn together rather than working within our own assemblies. Sharing knowledge, experiences, and programme materials, as well as camping together, are just some of the ways we nurture each other’s growth. FNE also embraces exchanges that help us stay connected with our FSE family, including international travel and inviting FSE representatives to advise and support organised training for our leaders.
Staying Connected: Eurojam and International Pilgrimages (2014–2027)
A major step in our FNE family’s development came when about 60 of our Explorers and leaders (both male and female) travelled to Normandy, France, to take part in Eurojam 2014 with over 10,000 of our brothers and sisters from across more than 20 countries. An instant bond formed between FNE and FSE participants despite language barriers. Wearing the same uniform, sharing the same ceremonial rites, and holding the same values and beliefs were more than enough to overcome differences in this vibrant temporary mini-city. We even had a chance to stop and have a little taste of Paris while we were there.
Another key milestone was reached in 2018, back on our side of the world, when we organised a North American-wide March Break camp in Florida. FNE Timberwolves, Explorers, and leaders gathered from across Canada, the U.S.A., and Mexico. This really showed us how much FNE had grown since our humble beginnings in solitude.
In 2019, our Canadian girl Timberwolves toured Lourdes, France, for a Pilgrimage and to meet their French sister Timberwolves.
In August 2022, a group of Timberwolves and Explorers travelled to Israel for a two-week pilgrimage to walk in the footsteps of Christ. This was truly a life-changing moment for all participants, as we not only visited the tomb and the place of our Lord’s crucifixion but also followed his life from birth to the place of his assumption into heaven.
During Easter 2025, FNE members travelled to Portugal for a Pilgrimage which included a visit to Fatima.
In September of 2025, our larger North American FNE movement voted to set up two movements, one entitled FNE-USA and another FNE-Canada, to better position the larger movement for growth. In October of 2025, both FNE-Canada and FNE-USA were formally welcomed as official members of our larger UIGSE family. We saw this welcome as the platform we needed to better understand and live the program developed by Baden-Powell and Venerable Father Jacques Sevin, as embraced for 70 years by our brothers and sisters in Europe (UIGSE-FSE).
In August 2027, 219 FNE members from both the USA and Canada will join 8,000 of their sisters and brothers in the foothills of the Italian Alps near Venice for the next Eurojam!
In 2028, FNE is planning a pilgrimage to Poland. Stay tuned for more details.
What Does the Future Hold?
Although it is still at times difficult for us to gain support from within our faith community, schools, and the wider population, FNE's future remains one of optimism and hope. For our youth (and not to the exclusion of our leaders and contributing families), FNE offers a Christ-centred, life-shaping, ever-rewarding experience. Please pray for the continued growth and development of both our programmes and our movement.
— Paul Ritchi, FNE Founder and General Commissioner for Canada
More About FNE
Find an FNE Group Near You
FNE groups meet in Catholic parishes across Canada and the United States. Tell us where you live and we’ll connect you with your nearest group.