Rover Prayer

The Rover Prayer is an adaptation of the Prayer of Saint Ignatius of Loyola originally adopted by Baden-Powell for use in the Rover section of the Scout Movement. In South Africa, Rover Crews are encouraged to adapt this prayer to suit the religious denominations of their Crew members, and the most common version of the Rover Prayer is the abridged version of the prayer incorporated in the Crew Opening Ceremony.

Versions of the Rover Prayer

Traditional Rover Prayer

By the Spirits of the Just,

Made perfect in their suffering

Teach us in turn, O Lord,

To serve thee as we ought,

To give, and not to count the cost,

To fight, and not heed the wounds,

To toil, and not to seek for rest,

To labour, and not seek any reward,

Save that of knowing that we do thy will.

Amen.

South African condensed Rover Prayer

O God who continues as the same unchanging father of humanity,

Teach us to serve you as you deserve,

To give and not to count the cost,

To fight and not to heed the wounds,

To toil and not to seek for rest,

To labour and not to ask for any reward,

Except knowing that we are doing your will.

Amen.

Excerpt from Traditional Rover Opening Ceremony

Let us ask God to aid us in our quest for service to others.

O God who continues as the same unchanging father of humanity,

Teach us to serve you as you deserve,

To give and not to count the cost,

To fight and not to heed the wounds,

To toil and not to seek for rest,

To labour and not to ask for any reward,

Except knowing that we are doing your will.

Amen

The Prayer of St Ignatius

Baden-Powell was visited by a French Jesuit, Father Jacques Sevin several times during the early 1900s to discuss the establishment of Scouting in France. These conservations are the likely origin of the prayer, as Fr Sevin would go on to set a "Scout's Prayer" to music, which he attributed to St Ignatius. Although prayer appears unlikely to have been written by St Ignatius himself, its message of generousity is regarded as in line with his teachings.

Fr Jacques Sevin would go on to found the French Catholic wing of the Scout Movement, Scouts de France, in 1920 which combined Catholic values with that of Baden-Powell's teachings. Scouts de France has since merged with Guides de France to form a combined movement, Scouts et Guides de France.

English version

Dearest Lord,

Teach me to be generous,

Teach me to serve You as You deserve,

To give and not count the cost,

To fight and not heed the wounds,

To toil and not to seek for rest,

To labour and not to ask for reward,

Save that of knowing I am doing Your Will.

Direct French translated version

Lord Jesus,

Teach us to be generous,

To serve you as you deserve,

To give without counting,

To counter without worry of injury,

To work without seeing rest,

To spend ourselves today on no other reward,

Than knowing we do Your Holy Will.