The Totus Tuus one-week Parish Catechetical summer day camps have begun with the first three Parishes hosting between June 1 and June 6, 2025. An additional 15 Parishes will host the weekly program through July 25.
Totus Tuus – which means “totally yours” – is a one-week Parish Catechetical summer day camp program, for students entering grades 1-12, and aims to inspire young people to long for holiness, develop a deep desire for conversion and personally renew their faith with a stronger prayer life.
The first host Parishes are St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Parish, Parrish; St. Finbar Parish, Naples; and San Pedro Parish, North Port.
Totus Tuus missionaries, trained college-aged or older men and women, lead the program. The week-long camps are divided into two segments, with the day camp for students entering grades 1 – 6, and an evening camp for middle school and high school students entering grades 7 – 12.
The younger children participate in several classes each day, attend daily Mass, learn the parts and liturgical music of Mass, and participate in games, skits, songs, recess and prayer. They also learning about the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary.
At San Pedro Parish, the young children start each day singing and dancing to “My Lighthouse,” an inspirational song that puts a focus on the importance of having the Lord at the center of their lives. Each day they receive a different colored string, which represents a key word for the day. Eventually, the group will put all they learned together and go to Mass.
In the evenings, the older students participate in instruction, small group discussions, quiet meditation, prayer and fellowship. The final night (Thursday) includes participation in Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament and the opportunity to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
Bishop Frank J. Dewane encouraged the pilot program be brought to the Diocese in 2022 to great success, with expansions in 2023 to 11 host Parishes, 12 for 2024, and now 18 for 2025.
The following is the upcoming schedule of host Parishes:
- June 8-13 – St. Paul Parish, Arcadia; Sacred Heart Parish, Bradenton; St. Katharine Drexel Parish, Cape Coral;
- June 15-20 – St. Agnes Parish, Naples;
- June 22-27 – Ave Maria Parish, Ave Maria; St. Jude Parish, Sarasota;
- July 6-11 – St. Cecilia Parish, Fort Myers; Our Lady of Light Parish, Fort Myers; St. John XXIII Parish, Fort Myers; St. Thomas More Parish, Sarasota;
- July 13-18 – St. Joseph Parish, Bradenton; Epiphany Cathedral, Venice; Our Lady Queen of Heaven Parish, LaBelle;
- July 20-25 – Our Lady of the Angels Parish, Lakewood Ranch; St. Peter the Apostle Parish, Naples.
Youth are welcome to attend any of the Totus Tuus camps, but registration is requested ahead of time. To register, please contact the hosting Parish directly. Parish contact information can be found at https://dioceseofvenice.org/find-a-parish/.
Faith is fun! Register your children through the hosting Parish! For more information, or with questions, visit Totus Tuus 2025 – Diocese of Venice. You can also contact Andres Prias, prias@dioceseofvenice.org or Jim Gontis at gontis@dioceseofvenice.org.
