With summer on the horizon, a dozen parishes are gearing up for Totus Tuus, a week-long summer Catholic youth program dedicated to sharing the Gospel and promoting the Catholic faith through evangelization, catechesis, Christian witness and the Eucharist.

Michael Hagan, manager of religious education and catechesis for the Diocese of Burlington, explained that the day program is open to children who will be entering grades 1 through 8 in the fall; the high school evening program is open to students entering grades 9 through 12 as well as 2021 high school graduates.

Registration takes place at each parish by contacting the parish coordinator for registration forms and submitting paperwork through the parish.

“Over the years Totus Tuus has become our favorite summer activity,” said Lisa Grover, parish Totus Tuus coordinator in St. Ambrose Church in Bristol. “My oldest son is now 16 and still great friends with someone he met his very first year at Totus Tuus. They are both very involved with our youth ministry program, and I’d like to think that Totus Tuus helped them along that path.”

Parishes offering the summer program include Holy Cross, Colchester; Christ the King, Rutland; Immaculate Conception/Holy Angels, St. Albans; Blessed Sacrament, Stowe; St. Michael, Brattleboro; Ascension, Georgia; St. John Vianney, South Burlington; St. Ambrose, Bristol; Mater Dei, Derby Line/Newport; St. Mary, Middlebury; Sacred Heart St. Francis de Sales, Bennington; and St. Monica Church, Barre.

For more information, including a schedule of dates, times, parish coordinator contact information and applications to teach, visit vermontcatholic.org/totustuus. For questions, contact a parish coordinator or the diocesan program coordinator, Pamela King, at 802-393-3438 or pking@vermontcatholic.org

Originally published in the Summer 2021 issue of Vermont Catholic magazine.