Religious Education

The religious education office facilitates information, training, retreats, support and fellowship, especially for those who teach in or administer parish religious education/PRE programs.

The office of religious education would like to encourage all Catechists to become certified through the diocese.  Certification has one purpose and that is to promote the highest training and formation of teachers and catechists who teach religion in our classrooms at all levels of education.

This purpose can best be realized in a twofold manner. First, by giving recognition and support to teachers and catechists who have made a continuing effort over the years to be well informed and renewed in their faith, as they engage in the teaching ministry. Second, by challenging catechists to further their education, formation and higher levels of competency through the establishment of certain standards and criteria.

Whether one is an experienced teacher and catechist of several years or a beginning teacher, certification promotes growth and development and provides a structure for the recognition of such.

Totus Tuus - "Totally Yours"

Totus Tuus is a summer Catholic youth program dedicated to sharing the Gospel and promoting the Catholic Faith through evangelization, catechesis, Christian witness and Eucharistic worship.  Our week-long Parish Summer Catechetical Program assists parents and parishes in the evangelizing and catechizing of their youth by supplementing the work they are currently doing.

The methodology, structure, content, and enthusiasm of Totus Tuus is concerned not only with teaching the Faith, but also igniting the hearts of the team members and the young people they encounter.  The result has been the formation of young adults who continue to dedicate themselves to the Church's mission of evangelization along with many vocations to the priesthood and religious life.

OUR MISSION

The mission of Tutus Tuus is to inspire in young people a true longing for holiness, a deep desire for daily conversion and an openness to their vocation by the constant challenge to give themselves entirely to Christ through Mary and by continually strengthening their prayer lives in imitation of Her.

OUR MOTIVATION

Totus Tuus, a Latin phrase meaning "Totally Yours," was the motto of Blessed John Paul II.  Taken from St. Louis de Montfort's True Devotion to Mary,  phrase it signifies our desire to give ourselves entirely to Jesus Christ through Mary.  It also expresses our effort to give our all to every young person we encounter.  Through the teams' example of joy and service, the youth see that these men and women are on fire with the Catholic Faith and long for the same thing in their lives.

OUR METHOD

Totus Tuus calls upon college students and seminarians from across the United States to carry this mission to every young person they encounter.  These young men and women are hired for their energy, enthusiasm, love of the Faith, commitment to spiritual growth, ability to work with a team and a desire to work with youth.

Parish teachers are grouped into teams of four, each consisting of two men and two women, and are invited to a different parish every week for seven weeks, where they conduct a week-long "parish mission," teaching and inspiring the parish's first through twelfth grade youth. 

Totus Tuus team shares prayer, Glorious Mysteries

The Register

Atwood — ­­Lunchtime conversation at Sacred Heart Parish included giggles, claps and several “God is good,” chants back and forth.

Totus Tuus, the annual summer catechetical program offered by the Diocesan Office of Youth Ministry, kicked off June 5 in Atwood and across the diocese.

Children invited members of Team 2: seminarian Bob Schroeder, Matea Gregg, Michaela Sasse and Joshua Caasi to sit by them and share what they learned during morning sessions. 

“Bob is the best teacher,” exclaimed 8-year-old Savannah Warning as she flashed the seminarian a smile across the table. 

Her tablemate, Payton Juenemann­­, agreed. “We’ve learned a lot about the Glorious Mysteries,” she said.

Savannah and Payton, who will enter third grade in the fall, with the help of team leader Schroeder named the first, second and third mysteries. The fourth and fifth mysteries were learned in the next couple of days.

The Totus Tuus team conducting the Atwood session introduced themselves after Mass June 5. They relaxed and prepared for the five day “vacation Bible school” that evening, after being scheduled to host Sacred Heart junior high students.

Totus Tuus teachers instruct kindergarten through sixth graders from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. 

 “Wednesday and Thursday evenings are scheduled for high schoolers,” Schroeder said.

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Sacraments for Young People

The celebration of the Sacraments is at the very heart of the Church's mission.  Sacraments for Young People presents a vision and a challenge to our parishes and schools in their role of ministry to families and to persons of faith.  The working together of catechetical leaders, catechists, parents, pastors, and staffs makes the vision a reality and offers direction for meeting the challenge.

Look under Docs to download a copy

TOTUS TUUS Job opportunity

TOTUS TUUS is a Catholic youth program dedicated to sharing the Gospel and promoting the Catholic faith through catechesis, evangelization, Christian witness, and Eucharistic worship.  The goal of TOTUS TUUS is to help young people grow in their understanding of their faith and to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. It is only in developing that relationship with Jesus Christ in our prayer life that we can become the bearers of the Good News.  TOTUS TUUS strives to bring our faith to life by creating a balance between the knowledge of the meaning of the Sacraments and an authentic Sacramental life.

This program is for current Grades 1-6 during the day and the evenings is spent with Grades 7-12.  The CORE TEAM consists of 2 college women and 2 college men who are trained with team members from other dioceses.  This program has been growing in our diocese through the last 10 years.  The summer of 2018 will have 4 teams.  If any college student would like to apply for one of the CORE TEAM member positions please look in the documents file on this page.  TOTUS TUUS Team Member application form.  Mail the completed form to:  Office of Religious Education, PO Box 825, Salina KS  67401

Responsibilities of TOTUS TUUS Teachers:

Pray Daily and Frequent the sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Eucharist

As a Totus Tuus Teacher, each day you will pray the Liturgy of the Hours in the morning, evening and night, pray a daily Rosary and Chaplet of Divine Mercy, attend daily Mass and weekly Adoration.

Sacrifice for Others

By being "Totus Tuus" you will need to put the needs of others before your own, particularly those of the youth that you will encounter this summer.  "The Self lives only by dying, finds its identity and its happiness only by self-forgetfulness, self-giving, self-sacrifice, and agape love." - Peter Kreeft

Be a Visible Witness of the Catholic Faith

All those you encounter will look to you as a witness of the Catholic Faith.  This means conducting yourself in thought, word and deed in accord with the Church's teachings.