Do you want this guy to shave his head?
If 1,500 attend Totus Tuus, Thomason will lose the locks

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
June 28, 2007

It's not uncommon for people to try various and sundry gimmicks if it means drawing attention to a beloved cause or project. It's no different for Mark Thomason, diocesan director of catechesis, evangelization and RCIA.

Because he believes so strongly in Totus Tuus, a parish-based summer catechetical program, Thomason said he has agreed to give up something very precious to him - his hair.

"If they can get 1,500 kids to attend Totus Tuus this year, I will shave my head," said Thomason. "I think it's reachable, but I also put the bar pretty high."

Totus Tuus stands for Totally Yours, he noted, so it is with that open heart and mind that he opted to put forth this challenge.

He pointed out that when he was in grad school he had grown his hair out to about 12 inches before shaving it off and making a donation to Locks of Love. Thomason acknowledged that he was in the process of growing it out again to make another donation to Locks of Love when the idea came up to spark registrations for Totus Tuus.

While it's great if people sign up in advance, he acknowledged that many of the students sign up after they have heard the college-age program facilitators speak at the weekend Masses.

"There is a last minute recruiting effort," he explained. "We'd like to reach our goal early though, so if people see this and want to call their DRE to register that would be great."

Upcoming sessions are planned on the following dates and in these parishes: July 9-13 at Holy Spirit in Carroll and Immaculate Conception in Cherokee; July 16-20 at Sacred Heart in Spencer and Holy Family in Emmetsburg; July 23-27 at St. Joseph in Wall Lake and Holy Trinity of Webster County in Fort Dodge; and July 30-Aug. 3 at St. John in Onawa and St. Mary in Larchwood.

The four-person team goes out to the parishes to run a day program on Monday through Friday for grade school students and an evening program from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday for high school students.

Thomason mentioned that he would love to have the youth attend all days - but is willing to count those who start up a day or two into the session because of the urging of a friend.

"We obviously would like them there the whole time because it is taught with one thing building on another," he noted. "I would especially like to see high school students attend because they become the future teachers of Totus Tuus."

Those interested in how the registration count is going can remain informed through the diocesan Web site. Go www.scdiocese.org - click on Ministries, then Catechesis and Totus Tuus.

"There will be a picture of me on that page and we will update the number every week," said Thomason.

If the count reaches 1,500, he will receive a cut with a clippers but he will go even further and take a razor to his head should registrations surpass 2,000. In either of these events, be on the lookout for photos to follow.