How Totus Tuus program at Vestal church is 'more than Vacation Bible School'

Kaitlin Wahl of Vestal is looking forward to a weeklong program next week that will help her learn more about Catholicism, strengthen her faith and meet new friends.

“It’s a way that you can get out and spend time with other Catholics in your age group,” she said.

Wahl, 16, who will be a junior at Vestal High School this fall, will be participating in the Southern Region’s Totus Tuus program, a weeklong summer Catholic youth program run through the Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse. The program will be held the week of July 21-26 at Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Vestal.

While this is a Catholic program, participants don’t have to be Catholic to attend. Children of any faith are welcome, said Tori Reynolds, who serves as both the faith formation direction of Our Lady of Sorrows and the high school youth minister for both Our Lady of Sorrows and Our Lady of Good Counsel in Endicott. The two churches are linked, meaning that they maintain separate buildings but share the same pastor.

The diocese hires college students as missionaries who travel throughout the diocese to present the program for one week at a time, Reynolds said.

“The missionaries bring such a bright light into our parish,” she said.

The program is designed to teach students more about the Catholic faith and to strengthen that faith, Reynolds said.

“We want them to grow closer to Christ,” she said of the children and teens who attend the program. “We do that through fun games and lots of skits. It opens the door to allow them to experience Jesus Christ in a new way.”

Kathy Hamilton, director of faith formation and junior high youth minister for both churches, agreed.

“The program is all about the children growing in their faith,” she said. “It’s more than Vacation Bible School because we are able to celebrate the sacraments with the children and the youth.”

A different priest will say a Mass every day of the program and will get help from the young participants, Reynolds said.

“They altar serve. They read. They bring up the gifts,” she said. “They really get to participate.”

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The program teaches the young participants some valuable lessons, said Rev. Richard P. Prior Jr., the pastor of both Our Lady of Sorrows and Our Lady of Good Counsel.  

“It gives the students an amazing opportunity to come together, make new friends and build a community. They are learning how Jesus can be a part of their lives every day,” Prior said. “I have seen how it really has strengthened their relationship with Jesus.”

Students who were part of the program last year say it was a memorable experience for them.

“It’s a good opportunity to meet others with the same faith,’’ said Will Craparo, 18. “I made a lot of friends that way. I got closer to God.”

Lillie Kneller, who will be a freshman at Owego Free Academy this fall, agreed.

“I learned a lot about what my faith actually means,” she said. “It’s my chance to get to know more and learn more and help myself grow in faith and spirituality.”

If you go

The Totus Tuus program will be held the week of July 21-26 at Our Lady of Sorrows church, 801 Main St., Vestal. The day program for children in grades one through six runs from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Monday-Friday. The evening program for students in grades seven through 12 is held from 7-9 p.m. on Sunday-Thursday. The cost is $45 per child or $90 per family.

To register, visit olsvestal.org or contact [email protected]

This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: Vestal summer faith program brings kids, teens together