The Lasting Fruits of Totus Tuus: How One Week Can Inspire a Lifetime of Faith

Discover how Totus Tuus continues to bear fruit in the lives of young Catholics at SJE!

When parents register their children for Totus Tuus, they hope for a week filled with faith, friendship, and fun. What they may not realize is that the fruits of this extraordinary Catholic summer program often extend far beyond a single week. Sometimes, those fruits continue growing for years—even into adulthood, parish leadership, and religious vocations.

At SJE, Totus Tuus continues to bear abundant fruit, forming young disciples who not only grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ but also inspire others to do the same.

From One Summer as a Camper to Four Years of Service

For parish partner Katie Duff, all it took was one week.

Katie attended Totus Tuus as a sixth grader after friends encouraged her to give it a try. Although she participated as a camper for only one summer, that experience left a profound impact on her faith journey.

As a camper, she cherished spending time with friends while growing closer to God. She formed meaningful connections with the missionaries, deepened her understanding of the Catholic faith, and discovered that learning about God could also be joyful, engaging, and unforgettable.

That single experience inspired Katie to return—not as a camper, but as a volunteer.

Now after her fourth year serving at Totus Tuus, Katie says her favorite part of volunteering is building relationships with the children and helping ensure they have the same memorable experience she once had.

More importantly, she has discovered that service transforms the servant. Through volunteering, Katie has experienced personal growth in ways she never expected. Sitting alongside the children during lessons, attending Mass with them, and witnessing their enthusiasm for the faith have become powerful reminders of God's love in her own life.

The experience has strengthened virtues that are essential to Christian discipleship: patience, compassion, responsibility, leadership, and joyful service.

Katie recognizes that even the simplest moments of service can become moments of evangelization. Whether she is answering questions about the faith, helping children with activities, or simply accompanying them throughout the day, she sees every interaction as an opportunity to bring others closer to Christ.

For Katie, volunteering at Totus Tuus is not about earning service hours. In fact, she describes the hours as merely a bonus. What keeps her returning each year is the joy of serving Jesus through serving others and witnessing firsthand the transformative power of authentic Catholic community.

She enthusiastically recommends the experience to any teen considering volunteering. (And after helping at the day program, there is an evening program designed specifically for them!)

For Katie, Totus Tuus has become far more than a volunteer opportunity—it has become one of the most meaningful experiences of her life and a powerful way to live out her baptismal call to discipleship.

The Fruits of Totus Tuus Continue at Home

The fruits of Totus Tuus are not limited to the young people who volunteer or serve as missionaries. They also flourish within families, where the lessons of faith, friendship, and discipleship continue long after the final day of camp.

For sisters Autumn and Maisie, Totus Tuus is one of the highlights of the summer. Like many children at SJE, what they love most is the opportunity to spend time with their friends from school in a faith-filled environment. They especially enjoy the activities, games, and the much-anticipated water day, where laughter, ice cream toppings, and especially their Totus Tuus missionaries become part of the fun.

Yet beneath the excitement and summer memories, something even more meaningful is taking place. The sisters enjoy spending time with their own friends during the week, but their shared experience of faith actually strengthens their bond.

At home, Autumn naturally embraces the role of a helper and leader. She regularly assists her younger sister, Maisie, and the two enjoy spending time together making crafts—often accompanied by what their mother affectionately describes as "huge messes." Autumn also has a special love for caring for younger children and hopes to become a babysitter as soon as she is old enough. During Totus Tuus, that servant-hearted spirit shines brightly, as younger children naturally gravitate toward her kindness and leadership.

The lessons learned during Totus Tuus also extend into everyday life. Having already received her First Reconciliation, Autumn has developed a deeper understanding of the Ten Commandments through Totus Tuus. And their family has also witnessed another beautiful fruit of Totus Tuus: growing confidence in the practice of the Catholic faith.

One of Autumn's favorite experiences this summer was attending Mass and having the opportunity to proclaim a reading. She was excited to participate and proud to use her gifts in service to God and the parish community.

For their mother, Totus Tuus offers blessings that extend beyond faith formation. As a working parent, she deeply appreciates the opportunity to send her daughters to a familiar, trusted environment where they are surrounded by caring adults, missionaries, and lifelong friends. The full-day program provides practical support for families while ensuring children spend their summer days growing in faith, friendship, and virtue.

The experience of families like Autumn and Maisie's reminds us that the fruits of Totus Tuus are often found in the small moments that continue long after the week concludes: siblings serving one another, children becoming more thoughtful friends, families attending Mass together, and young people discovering that following Jesus is both joyful and life-giving.

At SJE, Totus Tuus is not simply a summer program. It is a place where faith takes root, families grow stronger, friendships deepen, and young disciples begin learning how to follow Christ together.

Forming Future Leaders and Future Saints

The fruits of Totus Tuus shape future leaders of the Church. This summer, third-year seminarian for the Diocese of Gary, Roy Graf, from Rolling Prairie, returned with excitement and gratitude to Totus Tuus as his summer assignment.

Having loved Totus Tuus as a child, Roy now finds himself on the other side of the classroom, helping pass on the same faith and joy that once inspired him.

He describes his mission simply: to teach children about Jesus while demonstrating that faithful Catholic living and authentic joy go hand in hand. Roy hopes students will not only learn about the Ten Commandments, Sacred Scripture, and the Catechism but also encounter living witnesses of the faith.

For Roy, one of the most important aspects of Totus Tuus is leading by example. He hopes children see that young adults can embrace their Catholic faith wholeheartedly while also experiencing friendship, fun, and fulfillment.

At the same time, serving as a missionary has strengthened his own faith journey. Through teaching, prayer, parish life, and building community with fellow missionaries, he continues to recognize the beauty and richness of the Catholic faith while growing in his vocation to the priesthood.

The Fruits Continue Through the Sacraments

While the joyful songs, games, and skits capture children's attention, Father Ivan Alatorre knows the greatest fruits of Totus Tuus are found in their encounters with Jesus.

Father Ivan was first introduced to Totus Tuus in 2019 during his summer internship. The experience left a lasting impression and inspired him to become a Totus Tuus missionary in 2021. Since then, he has helped train new missionaries, and now, as a priest, he continues to support the ministry by providing spiritual guidance and encouragement to the missionary teams.

During this year's Totus Tuus at SJE, Father Ivan celebrated Mass each day and spent time hearing confessions of the young disciples. Through these sacred encounters, he helped children experience Christ in the Eucharist and the healing grace of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. His priestly presence throughout the week reminded everyone that while Totus Tuus is filled with laughter, games, and memorable activities, its greatest purpose is leading young people into a deeper relationship with Jesus.

The greatest fruits, he says, have been witnessing how God transforms the lives of others. "I am always amazed by the insights the students gain from the program," he said. "They often have a knowledge and understanding of the faith that I wouldn't have had at their age."

Father Ivan was especially inspired by the young disciples at SJE. While they eagerly embraced the fun, songs, and skits that make Totus Tuus so memorable, he also witnessed something much deeper taking place. As the week progressed, the children became increasingly engaged in the Mass, many eagerly received the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and by week's end they were confidently sharing what they had learned about their Catholic faith with family and friends.

The Beautiful Fruits of a Parish Invested in Youth

The story of Totus Tuus at SJE is ultimately not about a summer program. First, it is about being disciples and making disciples.

It is about children discovering that Jesus Christ loves them personally. It is about teenagers discovering that service brings joy. It is about young adults discovering leadership and vocation. And it is about a parish community choosing to invest in a great treasure: its young people.

The seeds planted during one week of Totus Tuus often bear fruit for years to come—in stronger families, deeper faith, lasting friendships, increased parish involvement, and even vocations to serve the Church.

As SJE continues its mission to be disciples who make disciples, Totus Tuus remains a beautiful example of how God can multiply even the smallest seeds of faith into a harvest beyond anything we could imagine.

The beautiful fruits of Totus Tuus extend far beyond a single summer week. Seeds of faith are planted, hearts are opened to Jesus Christ, and memories are created that can shape a lifetime of discipleship. Through prayer, joyful witness, friendship, and the sacraments, God continues to call young hearts closer to Him, often in ways that are only fully seen years later.

That is the beauty of the Church: one invitation can become the beginning of a lifelong journey with Christ and one generation of disciples inspires the next. We are grateful for everyone who helps make Totus Tuus possible and for the countless ways the Holy Spirit continues to work through this ministry.

We hope you'll join us next summer as we continue growing together in faith, discovering the joy of following Jesus, and becoming disciples who make disciples!