Totus Tuus missionary Madison Meyer teaches participants at St. Ambrose University in Davenport last summer.
By Lindsay Steele
The Catholic Messenger
Each year, the Davenport Diocese selects a small team of college students and seminarians to lead Totus Tuus, a weeklong, parish-based Catholic youth program. Missionaries spend the summer sharing the Gospel and promoting the Catholic faith through evangelization, catechesis, Christian witness and eucharistic worship.The diocese is currently seeking candidates for this year’s Totus Tuus missionary team.
“I would strongly recommend Totus Tuus to anyone who desires to grow in their faith in Jesus Christ,” said David Cortez, a first-year seminarian for the Diocese of Davenport and a 2025 Totus Tuus missionary. The experience “profoundly impacted my life in many ways, including helping me discern my vocation. While I was applying to seminary, I also signed up for Totus Tuus, which gave me the opportunity to travel from parish to parish, meet new priests, and form meaningful connections throughout the diocese.”
The friendships he formed with other missionaries were a great source of encouragement and support, he added.
Missionaries participate in a multi-day training session before the program begins and travel as a team to minister to youths in participating parishes and groups from multiple parishes. Responsibilities include keeping a well-defined daily schedule of prayer and activities, preparing for liturgies, catechetical instruction and organizing daily community-building activities. Staff and volunteers at each Totus Tuus location offer housing to the missionaries and assist with the program.
“Being a missionary was one of the most rewarding and challenging things I have ever done,” said Madison Meyer, a member of St. John the Baptist Parish in Houghton. “Every day was a new adventure. The kids taught me as much as I taught them! I learned I can have childlike wonder at all of (God’s) creation, but I cannot do anything without him.” Meyer, a gerontology and social work double major at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, said the experience deepened her desire to serve others.
Trevor Pullinger, diocesan director of faith formation and catechesis coordinator, believes the experience is particularly helpful for young adults considering careers in parish work, teaching, counseling or other kinds of service. Candidates for this paid position should be practicing Catholics in full communion with the Catholic Church, demonstrate a commitment to the Church’s mission and assent to all magisterial teaching. There is no residency requirement.
Cortez appreciated the opportunity to evangelize the next generation of Catholics. “Teaching (them) about the rosary, the sacraments and participating in daily Mass strengthened my faith and prepared me for seminary. Ultimately, Totus Tuus helped me see how I can be a gift to others by allowing Jesus to reign in my heart.”
For more information go to www.davenportdiocese.org/totus-tuus/. Missionary applications are due by May 1.
