Totus Tuus brings summer time enjoyable to St. Francis of Assisi Parish

MOUNT HOREB — St. Francis of Assisi Parish had a implausible week of Totus Tuus. 

The program, held July 12-17 at St. Ignatius Church in Mount Horeb, was every week of laughter, prayer, and rising in Faith for youths and youths. 

Totus Tuus is a nationwide program that’s run by means of native groups of missionaries. 

The Diocese of Madison has two Totus Tuus groups this summer time, serving in parishes all through the diocese and in neighboring dioceses. 

The Totus Tuus staff of missionaries involves a parish for a couple of week, internet hosting each a daytime program for youthful children and a night program for teenagers.

The catechetical program is meant to complement a parish’s actions through the faculty yr, and assist spark a love for the Faith by means of prayer, enjoyable actions, and the joyful witness of the missionaries.

This yr was the parish’s first time internet hosting Totus Tuus, and it was very profitable.  

Songs, skits, and snacks

The Totus Tuus day started with a number of enjoyable songs and the day’s skit, which included distributing colourful strings to every participant. 

The strings are collected by the youngsters all through the week and worn on their wrists. 

On Friday, a pair of bumbling “bumblebees” handed out “nectar” (yellow yarn) for the youngsters so as to add to their assortment. 

The children divided up by grades to study from the missionaries. 

The first lesson centered on the fifth Luminous Mystery of the Rosary: The Institution of the Eucharist. 

The second lesson centered on vocations. 

The Totus Tuus program rotates through the years by means of materials centered on completely different units of Rosary mysteries and numerous sections of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Between classes, the youngsters paused to take pleasure in a snack break after which sang as missionary Francesca Cangelosi led them in “praying twice.” 

Throughout the day, cries of “Totus Tuus! Maria!” echoed. 

Although the decision and response is used to maintain order and encourage the youngsters to pay attention, it’s not merely a handy recitation. 

The phrase means “Totally yours, Mary,” and expresses the will to belong wholly to Christ by means of Mary. 

“Totus Tuus” was St. John Paul II’s papal motto.

That was removed from the one chant the youngsters knew, both. 

From crying “Take a seat! What?” when transitioning to sitting down, to performing like bumblebees as they moved round between areas, to singing “the moose” only for enjoyable, the youngsters have been stored delighted and centered by the preparation and enthusiasm of the missionaries. 

Mass and cheery mayhem

Another a part of the day was the church “tour” that occurred earlier than Mass. 

Missionary and Archdiocese of Indianapolis seminarian Dominic Pavey defined numerous names for gadgets within the sanctuary, and instructed the youngsters the names of the vestments, encouraging a deeper understanding of the Mass.

Mass was held proper earlier than lunch, with Pastor Fr. Brian Dulli providing a homily to the scholars that talked about boredom. 

He centered on how even within the midst of boredom, God is with us, and He isn’t bored. 

God has one thing to present us at each second of the day.

After recess and lunch, attendees recited the ultimate Rosary decade of the week. 

Then got here the week’s eagerly awaited finale.

On Friday, afternoon classes are changed with a water battle, and the youngsters are given the chance to vote for a missionary to cowl in shaving cream.

Throughout the week, the assorted grades had earned “rocks,” which got out for good conduct and participation. 

At the top of the week, the category who had essentially the most “rocks” gained the correct to be the primary to take purpose on the chosen missionaries with shaving cream. 

This week, the primary and second graders gained the competition and took keen purpose at missionaries Francesca Cangelosi and Miriam Runde. 

After having fun with coating their lecturers in shaving cream, the youngsters have been able to get a bit messy — or at the least a bit moist — themselves. 

A water balloon toss was adopted by a gleeful water battle, with the youngsters — most armed with buckets — making enthusiastic use of their alternative to soak the missionaries and one another.

It was a implausible solution to finish every week of sweltering climate. 

Thanks to coordinated effort from the missionaries and grownup volunteers, in addition to the youngsters’ pitching in to assist, water balloon items have been picked up promptly, and a “dry zone” was stored secure for youths’ belongings.

Watermelons and onerous work

Similarly for the kids, the week ended with a deal with enjoyable. 

For the kids, the final day of this system was on Thursday night time, and so they have been clearly comfy with one another and the missionaries by that point. 

Activities started with bursting watermelons, continued with shaving cream wiffleball, and ended with a full shaving cream battle.

Father Dulli was current on Thursday night time and joined within the wiffleball sport, regardless of black clerics being a wonderful goal for shaving cream.

A giant a part of the enjoyable — and the witness of Faith that goes with it — got here from the missionary staff. It was clear that they’d linked with the youngsters and introduced them numerous pleasure, in addition to studying, over the course of the week. 

Totus Tuus can be supported by the native parish. 

Angie Sailing and Jennifer Stoddard, co-coordinators of spiritual training at St. Francis of Assisi Parish, have been actively concerned, and there have been grownup volunteers and teenage helpers helping on the Totus Tuus days and evenings.

The week in Mount Horeb is a implausible instance of round a dozen Totus Tuus weeks that have been scheduled for the summer time of 2026.