The Corpo Nacional de Escutas (National Scouts Corp - Portuguese Catholic Scouting) was founded in the city of Braga on May 27th, 1923, by Archbishop ManuelVieira de Matos and Dr. Avelino Gonçalves. Their first contact with the Scout Movement was in Rome, back in 1922, when they attended a parade of 20.000 Scouts, on the occasionof the International Eucharistic Congress.
D. Manuel Vieirade Matos |
Dr. Avelino Gonçalves |
After getting well documented about Scouting, they returned to Braga and got together with a group of 11 brave local citizens to have the first meeting on May 24th, 1923. They studied the possibility and opportunity of establishing a group of Portuguese Catholic Scouts. And so was founded the Corpo de Scouts Católicos Portugueses (CNS - Portuguese Catholic Scouts Corp), having the statutes been approved onthe 27th of May.
In January,1925 met in Braga - for the first time - the National Office, composed of: D. Manuel Vieira de Matos, General Director; D.José Maria de Queirós e Lencastre, National Commissioner; Dr. Avelino Gonçalves, Grand Inspector; Captain Graciliano Reis S. Marques and Álvaro Benjamim Coutinho, Board Members.
The associationspread from north to south of Portugal 
and, as a way of communicating between all groups, was issued inFebruary, 1925 the "Flor de Lis", the official journal. Later, in January, 1945, became a magazine.
In 1925 somemembers of the association went to Rome and met with Pope Pius XI. The Pope addressed them words of encouragement andesteem for the progress and expansion of the Movement in Portugal.
The 1st National Camp was held in August, 1926, in Aljubarrota, and helped spreading Scouting among the portuguese youth. Several regional offices started this year,and in the next year more offices were established. The 2nd National Camp happened in 1928, in Cacia.
When Baden-Powell visited Portugal in 1929, 700 catholic scouts participated in a parade do salute the Chief. In this sameyear, CNS was accepted as member of World Bureau of Scouting, and 26 scouts participated in the 3rd World Jamboree in Arrowe Park (England). Baden-Powell himself addressed thePresident of the Republic of Portugal in a letter, regardingthe presence of CNS scouts in the Jamboree: "… they distinguished themselves in camp for their intelligence, discipline, efficiency and most of all for the kindness andcharming spirit of friendship for their brothers in scoutingand any other person they contacted."
In 1934 waspublished the first regulation allowing women to enter the CNS as Cub Leaders. In this same year, Baden-Powell visited Portugal again but, due to his illness, he didn't came out ofthe ship, saluting about 2000 scouts from the deck. Also this year, a new Regulation was issued and the association gained a new designation: Corpo Nacional de Escutas (CNE). The change was made in the word "Scout" there after substituted by the word "Escuta".
In 1950 the National Headquarter moves from Braga to Lisbon and in the following years Leaders go abroad for Wood Badge courses (namely in Gilwell Park). In the following National Camps,participant numbers rise to the thousands of scouts.
In 1976 young girls are allowed to join the CNE, being considered by somethe starting of co-education in the association.
CNE has today over 70.000 members in over 1.000 groups distributed in 20 Regions.
In 2002 we had our 20th National Camp.
In 2003 we hosted RoverWay2003, an international camp for rovers from Europe.