Totus Tuus, the week-long Catholic youth summer camp program first offered in the Springfield diocese in 2009 at 11 parishes, expanded to 18 parishes this summer.
College-age young Catholic men and women are hired and trained to lead the sessions, and to share their knowledge and understanding of the faith. Teams of two women and two men move into the parish to lead the sessions. The young women leaders stay in parishioners' homes, and the young men leaders, one of whom in each team is a seminarian, stay in the rectory.
"Totus Tuus seeks to foster openness to vocations, not only in the youth, but in the college-age students who are leading the sessions," says Kyle Holtgrave, director of youth and young adult ministry in the diocesan Office for Catechetical Ministries.
This year's Totus Tuus curriculum focused on the Apostles' Creed and the Glorious Mysteries of the rosary. Games, skits, class sessions, journaling, reflections, prayer services and Mass, are but some of the activities and religious services during the week.
High school and junior high students attend evening sessions, while younger students attend daytime sessions. A parish potluck dinner is held midweek during each Totus Tuus session, to foster parishioner fellowship.
Deacon Dennis Baker, from the tri-parishes of Sacred Heart, Virden; St. Patrick, Girard; and Holy Cross, Auburn, himself a seasoned youth minister, had nothing but praise for the Totus Tuus experience he witnessed for his parishioners. "We had an excellent team of young people who were very good. Our youth not only had a great time, but had a faith-filled reverence during the prayer times."
The final Totus Tuus attendance numbers for all of this summer's sessions are yet to be tallied, "but youth attendance has increased," says Holtgrave. "This summer at St. John Vianney, in Sherman, they had 26 attend during the day, and 15 high school age youth attend their evening session."
Other parishes who have reported their numbers include: Ss. James and Patrick, Decatur, 18 day, 24 evening; St. Peter, Quincy, 110 day, 25 evening; St. Francis of Assisi, Hardin, 38 day, 16 evening; St. Bridget, Liberty, 37 day, 13 evening; and St. Agnes, Springfield, 29 day, eight evening.
"The goal of Totus Tuus is to help young people develop their relationship with Jesus Christ so that there is an intimate friendship, whereby he may lead them to the Father," says Holtgrave. The program emphasizes "a devotion and love for our Lord in the Eucharist and for Mary, our mother. Totus Tuus also seeks to foster an openness to vocations, not only in the youth, but in the college-age students who are leading the sessions."
Totus Tuus was Blessed Pope John Paul II's apostolic motto. It is a Latin phrase meaning "totally yours" and expressed his personal consecration to Mary.