LIFE TEEN on a parish level is a comprehensive youth ministry that is centered around a weekly Sunday night mass geared towards teens and their families. It is followed directly afterward with a catechetically-based “LIFE Night” for high school teens along with “LIFE Support” meetings for adults of all ages at the same time. There are other weekly activities, annual trips, retreats and camps that are part of a parish LIFE TEEN program. In most parishes, LIFE TEEN is the faith formation component for its teens. One of the most important characteristics is that the parish priests, youth minister, and other adults reach out to teens and walk the journey to Christ with them on a regular basis. These adults are role models more than anything else, but they also teach and listen to teens.
Important People
For a successful program, LIFE TEEN recommends three essential components:
a supportive pastor, a dedicated youth minister(and volunteers), and a passionate music minister and group. We recognize that some parishes are succeeding while missing one component, but the importance of the three working together is well worth mentioning. It is vital to the success of a youth ministry that these three people work together to animate the youth liturgy and LIFE Night, leading the teenagers in their parish closer to Christ.
Engaging homilies and relevant music bring the spirit of the liturgy to the hearts of the teenagers in the congregation. The priest brings the homily to the forefront of the teens’ minds, touching upon relevant and challenging material. The music minister works hard before each Mass, selecting powerful and relevant music and working with the musicians to bring the entire congregation to the heart of the liturgy: the Eucharist. The youth minister orchestrates the important component of the CORE team (a group of volunteers working with the youth minister), who facilitate the LIFE Nights. Together these team members focus on relational ministry, or building relationships with the teens.
We believe that it’s a matter of using whatever you may have – whether it’s a supportive pastor, limited resources, a small rural community or a dedicated full-time youth minister.