Life Teen

Life Teen is a Catholic youth ministry organization and movement originating in the United States. It was established in 1985 at St. Timothy's Parish in Mesa, Arizona. Pastor Fr. Dale Fushek, Youth Minister Phil Baniewicz, and Music Minister Tom Booth came up with the plan aimed to revolutionize youth ministry and bring the message of Jesus Christ to teenagers in a way they could understand it. It was decided that a new approach was needed to evangelize the Catholic youth in their area. According to Life Teen sources, they now have over 1000 individual programs in the United States and around the world. Life Teen programs are typically established in individual parishes.

The Life Teen Ministry Approach

The primary Life Teen youth activities (e.g. LIFE Night and EDGE) consist of four components: Gather, Proclaim, Break, and Send.
*Gathering involves getting teens together, introducing them to each other, and "breaking the ice" in order for their comfort level to increase and for them to get the most they can out of the evening in a comfortable atmosphere.
*Proclaiming involves communicating the message of the night in varying kinds of format, usually a teaching, lecture, or activity that emphasizes the given topic.
*Breaking involves breaking the group of teens into smaller groups for discussion or some kind of small group project, like creating a skit, to further enhance the understanding of the topic.
*Sending involves wrapping up the session, reinforcing the message, and sending the teens out.

General Program Information

In the program, youth typically attend a Sunday Mass specifically intended for them, along with adult program leaders (CORE), which often teens' families and other interested parishioners also attend. Music and homilies are focused on teens and teens are invited to be trained in approved liturgical ministries such as lectors, ushers, altar servers, greeters and extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist (if approved by the Diocese).

Following Mass, a "Life Night" is held, which incorporates teaching in Catholic beliefs, interactive activities, and socialization. Life Nights cover catechetical, social and issue related nights that are 100% Catholic and comprehensive.

Most Life Teen Programs utilize multiple events during the week, such as Bible Studies, Social Events, and the like to provide teenagers with healthy and holy activities to take part in during the week that will not only strengthen their bonds with each other, but will strengthen their relationship with God as well.

Mass

Many Life Teen masses have been known for their deviance from the norms of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal of the Roman Catholic Church, having encouraged practices such as gathering the congregation in the sanctuary and changing the words of the closing rite to "The mass never ends" [ [http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0404616.htm] Catholic News Service. "Life Teen parishes to make changes to Mass". August 23, 2004.] . Life Teen also makes heavy use of instruments such as drums and guitars, typically characterized as instruments found in most pop music; this is in contradiction with the wishes of the Sacred Congregation of Rites, which states that, "...instruments that are generally associated and used only with worldly music are to be absolutely barred from liturgical services and religious devotions" and "The pipe organ is to be held in high esteem, for it is the traditional musical instrument that adds a wonderful splendor to the Church's ceremonies and powerfully lifts up the spirit to God and to higher things. [http://www.catholicliturgy.com/index.cfm/FuseAction/documentText/Index/2/SubIndex/17/ContentIndex/442/Start/433] In 2004, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops requested that Life Teen follow liturgical norms within its masses, to which it requested parishes that use the Life Teen mass to comply with the Bishops' request, ending Life Teen's approval of gathering in the sanctuary and changing the words of the mass. Use of guitars and drums within the context of the liturgy continues in many parishes to this day.

Additional Programs

In addition to High School Youth Ministry, Life Teen has been branching out as of late to many different other areas of ministry:

Edge

Edge is Life Teen's middle school ministry for early adolescents in grades six, seven and eight. It is designed to meet the educational, spiritual, emotional, and social needs of young adolescents. Edge combines the best of Life Teen with the necessary adaptations to provide middle school youth with the ministry they need.

Edge Nights occur once every week during the school year, and also has social and recreational activities designed to create a greater sense of community amongst Middle School Youth. In addition, several national Edge Summer Camps are held in Georgia, Arizona and Missouri.

Parent LIFE

Life Teen recognizes the importance of ministry not only to teens but also to their families, especially parents. Parent LIFE was created to have a lasting effect on Life Teen Parishes, as a program to, for, and with parents that allow them to draw closer to Christ. The program solidifies and strengthens the family structure, and builds community within the parish.

Parents LIFE is facilitated by the parents themselves. One person or a couple coordinates the overall parent ministry to insure consistency. The leader/leaders are under the direction of the Pastor or the Youth Minister.

Other information

The name Life Teen is trademarked. According to the Life Teen Inc's convention, the name should be spelled as two words and as seen as follows, "Life Teen". This change was made in late February of 2007.

References

External links

* [http://www.lifeteen.com Official Life Teen website]
* [http://ym.lifeteen.com Life Teen Youth Ministry resource website]