Mission Statement:

 Life Teen is an international Catholic movement that serves the Church by providing resources and faith experiences that help lead teens closer to Christ. This is accomplished through a vibrant Eucharistic spirituality and by creating opportunities for teens to grow in their faith.

STATS:

 

Attributes of a Strong Life Teen Program

• Weekly youth Mass
• Weekly catechetical Life Nights
• Justice and service opportunities
• Annual teen and Core retreats
• Relational ministry development
• Community building that engage teens in the life of the parish while advocating their needs

 History of Life Teen:

Life Teen began in 1985 as a single-parish program in Mesa, Arizona. As it grew in popularity with the teens, people around the country began to take notice. The simple model of a Mass focused on teens and their families, followed by a catechetical session called a “Life Night,” remains effective to this day. As more parishes inquired about the ministry, Life Teen began offering national training conferences on this new and comprehensive youth ministry model within a few years.

Because of our deep Eucharistic devotion, Life Teen has developed a spirituality that is:

• 100% Catholic
• Obedient to the Magisterium
• Centered on the Eucharist
• Scriptural
• Liturgical
• Catechetical
• Sacramental
• Focused on social justice
• Comprehensive

What does a Life Teen program look like?

The Life Teen program is a complete, comprehensive and interactive model of religious formation. Through youth friendly Liturgies, Life Nights, weekly activities, service opportunities, teen leadership and outreach activities, teens learn more about their Catholic faith and grow to love the sacraments, the word, and the mass. At a parish with the Life Teen program, a priest, youth minister, music ministry and a Core team of volunteer’s build an environment where teens feel loved, accepted, and challenged to go deeper in their faith.

Teens learn about the Mass by being “full, active and conscious” members of the community. Teens not only engage in the liturgy, but also serve as leaders of hospitality, altar servers, lectors, ushers, musicians, vocalists and, when allowed, extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist. “Mother Church earnestly desires that all the faithful should be led to that fully conscious, and active participation in liturgical celebrations which is demanded by the very nature of the liturgy” (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 14). In addition, clergy are renewed and affirmed in their vocation as they reach out to the young Church through the Sacraments.