Life Teen
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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 when 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.
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[edit] Ministry model
LIFE TEEN has developed a model for events to help Youth Ministers and CORE members execute youth events. LIFE TEEN events, called Life Nights, have four distinct segments. These segments are Gather, Proclaim, Break, and Send. These segments are derived from the flow of the Mass.
- GATHER: This section of the Life Night involves "hooking" the teenagers to coming to a night. This can be anything from an interactive game, a chance to win a prize, a skit or a funny video clip. Depending upon the specific night, some nights might utilize several of these aids. Also considered a part of the Gather is any promotion done at the youth Mass (which normally directly proceeds a life night). This promotion can take several forms such as the Youth Minister making an announcement or the CORE members passing out an object related to the theme of the night to try to pique the interest of the teens. The Gather is always directly related to the main message of the night.
- PROCLAIM: This section of the Life Night is devoted to the main teaching for the night. The Proclaim is advised to be 10-15 minutes long, depending on the topic. Typically, the talk is usually given by the Youth Minister or another CORE member. Some Life Nights change the rhythm of this by suggesting a clergy member, a panel of people, or a team of 2-3 people lead the talk. LIFE TEEN has also prepared the Proclaims for certain Life Nights which can be shown in place of a live talk.
- BREAK: In this section of the Life Night, teenagers are given the chance to "break open" the message of the night. Typically this takes the form of small groups. LIFE TEEN recommends one adult for every 6-8 teens in a group. Certain Life Nights recommend a large group wrap session or doing a group activity (like a prayer walk) to provide the teens a chance to digest the message of the night.
- SEND: The send portion of a Life Night is to wrap up the Life Night by giving the teens a way to take the message they learned and apply it to their lives at home. Generally the send involves some personal prayer time. Depending on the night, teens might be given the chance to make a personal commitment to do something or not do something. The teens may also be presented with a small gift (such as holy water, a nail or a cross) to help them remember the message of the night. LIFE TEEN also recommends the closing of each Life Night with a reminder of what the next Life Night will be and having the teens say as a group the Hail Mary and sing Ave Maria.
[edit] 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.
[edit] Mass
Many Life Teen masses have been accused of deviance from the norms of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal of the Roman Catholic Church, encouraging practices such as gathering the congregation in the sanctuary during the Eucharistic Prayer and changing the words of the closing rite from "the mass is ended" to "The mass never ends"[1]. 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.
[edit] 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:
[edit] 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(Usually Friday Nights), 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.
[edit] 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.
[edit] Other information
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Lists of miscellaneous information should be avoided. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections or articles. (January 2009) |
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 2007.[citation needed]
There is a controversy surrounding the organization's founder, Dale Fushek, who has been accused of sexual contact with several youths. In 2008, he was excommunicated for founding an independent worship center in defiance of his bishop's order to cease all ministry work. However, the leaders of Life Teen have disassociated themselves from Fushek.
[edit] References
- ^ [1] Catholic News Service. "Life Teen parishes to make changes to Mass". August 23, 2004.
