Imagine a summer encountering Jesus through activities made especially for you!
Children across the archdiocese have had that very experience this summer during the Totus Tuus program, which has visited a number of parishes in Northern Colorado over the past few weeks.
At Most Precious Blood Catholic Parish in Denver, children buzzed with excitement as they dived into Totus Tuus last month. Through engaging games, faith lessons and lively activities, this Catholic program transformed participants’ summer days into a joyous journey of faith and learning.
For the missionaries traveling to local parishes, the summer mission has been busy but profoundly impactful.
Bailey Link, who served at Most Precious Blood last month said she chose to do Totus Tuus because of the impact Totus Tuus missionaries had on her faith at a young age.
“I grew up attending the program and it had a really big impact on me. Especially seeing the joy the missionaries had. I also wanted to live in a prayerful and intentional community this summer,” she told the Denver Catholic.
Her favorite part of the summer has been team life. Link shared that “just getting to know my teammates and missionaries on the other teams has been really fruitful for me.”
For James Joseph, who is serving as a Totus Tuus missionary this summer before beginning his third year at St. John Vianney Seminary in Denver, it was the grace he witnesses in the children that is especially striking.
“There’s been so much grace poured out on the program. It’s been a huge privilege and blessing to witness how Jesus is working in the lives of these children this summer,” he said.
For Joseph, the best part of the summer has been establishing relationships with the children.
“My greatest joy has been making the younger children laugh, and sharing my testimony with the older kids during the evening program,” he said.
Witnessing the grace of the Holy Spirit, Joseph has been surprised to see grace prevail when he least expected it.
“It’s like just when you doubt it you’re making an impact, the curtains part and you really see how the Holy Spirit is working behind the scenes,” he said.
For Father Daniel Ciucci, pastor of Most Precious Blood Parish in Denver, said Totus Tuus is vital for the parish’s summer programming because it gives the children of the parish the opportunity to experience Jesus, and the priests of the parish, in a new way.
“When we take the kids to Mass every day for a week, they learn how to enter more fully into the Sacred Liturgy. They also learn how to build a relationship with Jesus outside of the family or school context which they might typically be used to,” he told the Denver Catholic.
“They also get to see the priests in a new way. We run around with them on the playground and during the water fight, so they get to see us both in the classroom and on the altar, which is a really beautiful dynamic,” he continued.
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More information on next summer’s Totus Tuus programming is forthcoming, and readers are encouraged to share the missionary application with young adults who may be interested in sharing the Gospel with young people at parishes across the archdiocese next summer.
