This year, for the first time, parishes in the Springfield diocese will be offering the summer youth catechetical program Totus Tuus.

Totus Tuus is a weeklong parish-based program for young people who are entering grades 1-12. Its name comes from the Latin for "Totally Yours" and was the motto of Pope John Paul II, said Kyle Holtgrave, associate director for Youth and Young Adult Ministry in the Springfield diocese.

Holtgrave said Totus Tuus is not the same as a vacation Bible school although it has its foundation in the Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Children in grades 1-6 attend day programs, while those in grades 7-12 attend evening sessions.

The program is dedicated to sharing the Gospel and promoting the Catholic faith through catechetical instruction, Christian witness, vocational discernment, Marian devotion and eucharistic worship. Each year's program focuses on one of the mysteries of the rosary as well as one of these topics, which follow a six-year cycle:  The Mystery of Salvation, The Apostle's Creed, the sacraments, the Commandments, the Virtues and the Beatitudes, and prayer. This year the program will focus on the Joyful Mysteries, and the Virtues and the Beatitudes, Holtgrave said.

Erin Hodgson, a recent graduate of Quincy University who is now the coordinator of religious education for St. Brigid in Liberty and St. Joseph in Quincy as well as youth minister for St. Edward in Mendon, is responsible for promoting Totus Tuus in the Springfield diocese. She became involved with the program while in college and continued to work with it following her graduation from QU in 2008. Hodgson approached Bishop George J. Lucas about bringing it to the diocese and he is encouraging parishes to host the program this summer.

Totus Tuus is led by a team of young adults - two women and two men - who are trained at a national training site and commissioned to serve the youth of the diocese throughout the summer. Holtgrave said seminarian Steve Arisman will be one of the team leaders. Seminarians will stay at the parish rectory during the weeks they are teaching, while host families will provide housing for other young adult team members.

Before they travel to parishes to lead Totus Tuus, the young adult leaders experience a week of intense training that includes daily Mass, rosary, Divine Mercy chaplet, a holy hour, the Liturgy of the Hours and a number of classes that prepare them for the curriculum. They are chosen based on their desire to teach the faith, their love of children, enthusiasm and leadership ability.

Team leaders are each paid $200 a week and put in long days - usually getting up at 7 a.m. and not returning to their host family homes until after 9:45 p.m. They get a summer break from June 28-July 10. However, because meals and transportation are provided, team members have few if any expenses involved with their job, Hodgson said.

The parish program fee is $1,400 a week, plus the parish is asked to host a potluck and provide volunteers, some snacks and supplies. Parishes are encouraged to charge a fee for students who attend, Holtgrave said. Parishes have already received information about how the programs will proceed.  

Hodgson said she believes parishes will be thrilled with the summer program, which has been available in this country for over 20 years and has grown to include 16 dioceses in 10 states.

"Totus Tuus is centered on Christ, the Eucharist and the Catholic Church. I am so excited it is coming to the diocese and I will do whatever is needed to help out to get it up and running," said Hodgson. "This is so important to me. Totus Tuus literally changed my entire life."

(To learn more about Totus Tuus, call Kyle Holtgrave at (217) 698-8500, ext. 154 or check out the information online at www.dio.org. Click on Catechetical Ministries under departments and then click on Youth and Young Adult Ministry, where you will find the link Totus Tuus. )