Totus Tuus is a summer Catholic youth program dedicated to sharing the Gospel and promoting the Catholic faith through evangelization, catechesis, Christian witness, and Eucharistic worship. Our week-long Totus Tuus program assists parents and parishes in the evangelizing and catechizing of their youth by supplementing the work they are already doing.
Our Mission
The mission of Totus Tuus is to inspire in young people a true longing for holiness, a deep desire for daily conversion, and 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 methodology, structure, content, and enthusiasm of Totus Tuus are focused not only on teaching the faith but also on igniting the team members' and young people's hearts. The result is the formation of young adults who continue to dedicate themselves to the Church’s mission of evangelization.
Our Motivation
Totus Tuus, a Latin phrase meaning “totally yours,” was Pope John Paul II's motto. Taken from St. Louis de Montfort’s True Devotion to Mary, it signifies our desire to give ourselves entirely to Jesus Christ through Mary. It also expresses our effort to give our all to every young person we encounter. Through the teams’ example of joy and service, the youth see that these men and women are ON FIRE with the Catholic faith and long for the same thing in their lives.
Our Method
Totus Tuus calls upon college students and seminarians from the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas and across the United States to carry this mission to every young person they encounter in the parish program. Students are hired for their energy, enthusiasm, love for the faith, commitment to spiritual growth, ability to work with a team, and desire to work with youth. Parish catechists are grouped into teams of four, each consisting of two men and two women, and are invited to a different parish every week for seven weeks, where they conduct a week-long 'parish mission,' teaching and inspiring the parish’s youth.
Volunteer
The success of this week-long program relies heavily on parish volunteers who are needed in several capacities, including:
Assistance during the day program with 1st-6th grade students
Host family for the two male team members
Host family for the two female team members
Provide dinner for junior high & high school students
Provide the team with lunch
Assistance organizing a potluck
Volunteering during the week of Totus Tuus is a great way for a parish to unite and support those witnessing Jesus Christ to our youth. Please prayerfully consider signing up.
Please note any parish volunteer age 16 or older must be VIRTUS certified. Visit www.virtusonline.org for more information on upcoming VIRTUS training opportunities.