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Totus Tuus Brings The Faith And “The Most Fun Week Of The Year” To Parish Youth This Summer
It has certainly been a long and challenging year for our parish youth and parents alike — but as we look forward to the summer, we can also look forward to some of our favorite activities and events making a return. We are especially excited to announce that St. Peter Parish will once again hold Totus Tuus this summer the week of June 6-11. This promises to be a week that will help our young people develop their friendship with Jesus Christ so He can lead them to the Father through the power of the Holy Spirit!
It is a fast-paced week full of activities that Lynette McArdle, our Religious Education Director, calls “the most fun week of the year!”
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“I love the week of Totus Tuus!” Lynette says. “It is me spending time with a few hundred of my favorite friends. I enjoy meeting and working with the Totus Tuus team and have as much fun as the kids.”
Although the pandemic led to the cancellation of Totus Tuus last year, this summer’s program will get underway with some changes to maintain the safety and health of all. All state and local recommendations will be followed.
“Totus Tuus” is Latin for “Totally Yours,” and it was the motto of St. John Paul II. The motto was taken from the great work, True Devotion to Mary by St. Louis de Montfort.
“The motto represents our desire to give ourselves entirely to Jesus Christ through the hands of His Immaculate Mother,” Lynette says.
The Totus Tuus curriculum consists of a theme and one set of Mysteries of the Rosary. This year, the theme will be the Ten Commandments and the Mysteries will be the Glorious Mysteries. There are two sessions, according to age. Students entering ninth grade through college freshmen will meet from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Sunday through Thursday, June 6-10. Students entering first through eighth grades will attend from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Monday through Friday, June 7-11. All students are to bring a daily lunch.
Teams of trained college students and seminarians will be leading the sessions. St. Peter’s has two teams scheduled — each team consists of four college students, one of which is a seminarian.
The day sessions for the younger students will include a large-group gathering with the Rosary mystery of the day. There will be a short teaching session, a snack break, and another short teaching session. The students will attend Mass, then have lunch and a recess. A short teaching session and a large-group gathering will end the day.
During the evening sessions, there will be short presentations and discussions.
“It is a great opportunity to talk to college students about their experiences,” Lynette says.
The fee for Totus Tuus is inexpensive, compared to other summer camps, and provides the opportunity for our youth to learn more about their Catholic faith through catechesis, evangelization, Christian witness, and Eucharistic worship. The students will experience devotion and love for the Lord in the Eucharist and for the Blessed Mother.
Totus Tuus relies on donations to supplement the team’s income. Their week goes beyond leading the sessions. They arrive Saturday afternoon to meet with Lynette. They also speak at all the weekend Masses before they begin to set up and prepare to teach that evening, as well as the week ahead. At the end of the week, they travel on Saturday to the next location on a schedule that runs for seven weeks during the summer.
