Totus Tuus is a Latin phrase meaning “totally yours.” It was the motto of St. John Paul II, who took it from St. Louis de Montfort’s True Devotion to Mary. It signifies our desire to give ourselves entirely to Jesus through Mary.
The mission of the Totus Tuus youth summer catechesis program is to inspire in young people a true longing for holiness, a deep desire for daily conversion, and an openness to their vocation by constantly challenging them to give themselves entirely to Christ through Mary and by continually strengthening their prayer lives in imitation of her.
The Totus Tuus Missionary Team consists of four college-aged catechists/witnesses. There will be two young women and two young men who have committed their summer to deepening their own faith through prayer, worship, and spreading the word of God.
Grade School Program
The Totus Tuus Grade School Program is designed for children entering Grade 1 through Grade 6 in the upcoming school year. The Grade School Program runs Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Totus Tuus endeavors to show the young people that a humble and courageous desire to know God must be based upon a personal relationship with our Lord and a steadfast, disciplined life of prayer combined with the reception of the Sacraments.
The Grade School Program is structured with the celebration of the Mass as the high point of each day, allowing us to center everything we do around Christ present in the Eucharist. There will also be time for Confession, Adoration, and fellowship. The largest portion of each day is spent on the catechesis of the young people in a classroom setting. The children are split into age groups (usually Grades 1-2; Grades 3-4; and Grades 5-6) so that instruction and questions can be directed appropriately.
While classes comprise a large part of the day, Totus Tuus is not school and makes sure that the young people have fun too! Therefore, we have a “pump up” to start each day, a snack break in the morning, recess and “cool down” after lunch, and a skit/snack break in the afternoon.
Middle & High School Program
Totus Tuus offers instruction in the evening for middle and high school young people. Middle school young people are those entering Grades 7-8 for the upcoming school year. High school young people are those entering Grade 9 for the upcoming school year through those who have just graduated high school. The Middle and High School Program meets Sunday through Thursday from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
The Totus Tuus vibrant, faithful, college-aged missionaries effectively impart the faith to young people at this age. The Totus Tuus Middle and High School Program comprises of instruction, small group discussions, quiet mediation, prayers, and fellowship. The missionary team teaches in such a way as to offer a dialogue in which each person feels respected in his or her most basic dignity.