Life Teen Mass

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Looking for comments from different parishes. My kids prefer it (oldest is 12). It’s usually full too. I find it a little long on the music and short on traditional things, although the Apostles’ Creed was added back last week instead of the usual song after the homily.

You can tell the hard core Catholics that are there because they won’t “reach” ((extend their right arm toward the Crucifix (what is this gesture called anyway?)) or hold hands during the Lords Prayer.
 
Life teen messes have to be banned!!! There is no need for them and they keep teenagers in an infantile state If you want your teenagers to become good Catholics[and good adults] do these things.
1.Take them to the Traditional Latin Mass
2.Throw away the TV
3.say the family rosary
4.burn all evil magazines and texts[thank you Baltimore Catechism[
 
We went to a Life Teen Mass *by accident * & my teenage daughter hated it! Felt like she hadn’t even gone to church, she said.

We were especially disappointed when the “band” changed to words to the creed. In a purely practical sense, a very old, old, gothic style church is not the best place acoustically for the amps & rock instruments.

I must say, I was shocked by the large number of elderly in attendance. We’ll never go again. Shouldn’t teens learn they don’t have to be entertained all the time? I’d encourage the kids to have the guitars and the contemp. music as part of a youth group meeting OUTSIDE OF MASS, though. We all play guitar & drums here, so it is not that we are old-fogeys & don’t like the new-fangled music - everything in it’s place.

–Jennifer
 
****Many parishes here in the Phoenix Diocese have Life Teen Mass since it originated here. I feel the Life Teen Mass is too charismatic for me. The instruments such as the drums and electric guitar are too loud. I can’t hear myself pray sometimes. I agree there is not enough traditional songs played. They play alot of songs that you would hear on a contemporary christian radio station. One parish I went to had the whole congregation standing up during the Eurcharistic Prayer. They kneel after receiving Holy Communion. I do get the same feeling that I haven’t gone to Mass either. A whole lot of puff but feeling empty afterwards.
 
Hello Church
I do not know a thing about a Life Teen Mass. I want to learn.
Please help me.:confused:
 
beng, I didn’t get the point of your hyperlink to the church bulletin. Was it just the tiny announcement that Life Teen was cancelled for this week? Or did I miss something else? Could you post the part you wanted us to see?
 
The Hidden Life:
beng, I didn’t get the point of your hyperlink to the church bulletin. Was it just the tiny announcement that Life Teen was cancelled for this week? Or did I miss something else? Could you post the part you wanted us to see?
Click to expand...
Read this part:

I recently received word from Rome that we
need to make a couple of changes in our Mass.
The two changes will be (1) to stop gathering
children and teens in the sanctuary at
Children’s, EDGE and 6 p.m. Teen Masses,
and (2) to stop saying, “The Mass never ends…”
at the end of our liturgies. Before you react,
please understand that we are cooperating fully
in what the Church has asked us to do. We
received a great endorsement from Rome for
LIFE TEEN, which will help the program to grow.
You’ll hear more about this later.

I hope this is some formal thing.

Life Teen is so prune with abuses that even little news like this is refreshing.
 
A LifeTeen mass is a mass “geared towards teenagers.” This is straight out of “LifeTeen Training Conference Manual”: Please note that this was written two years before the new word from Rome.
  1. The liturgy of the Church is rich. Don’t mess with the ritual. You do a disservice to the community by breaking the unity of the universal experience of the order and flow of the liturgy. Work at helping teens understand the central elements of liturgy. Try to do what you do with excellence, style and grace. Bring out the real elements of the liturgy and place emphasis where it belings - on the Community, the Word, and the Eucharist.
  2. Talk to the teens. … Let them give (name removed by moderator)ut to the planning. In the homily, speak about morality, relationships, families, dating, etc…
  3. Don’t ever water down the gospel teachings. Most teens truly have not been taught the teachings of the Church. They want to know what the chruch stands for and what it is exactly that they beling to. We must talk honestly about doctrine, moral issues and relationships.
  4. Remeber that teens sometimes speak in a different lanugage than we do. A picture, an image, a skit or a song can convey much more than a lengthy sermon.
  5. Music is essential. Good liturgical music (simple, singable, and scriptural) should be chosen. It is appropraite to use a popular “radio” song once in a while as part of a visual presentation (slides, video, etc.). But liturgical music should be the regular fare. It is essential, however, that hte music be enriched with instruments, sparked with life and involve the community, not just the muscicians.
  6. Call teens forth to ministry. Involvement is the key to their taking ownership of the liturgy. Give them clear directions, make them practice their ministries, and help them handle their mistakes.
  7. Speak often of the ministry of the assembly. take time before Mass for people to greet eachother. Create a spirit of hispitality. Wecome visitors. Make certain that the details of hispitality (songbooks, etc.) are available. Assist those present in learning the importance of seeing the Word come alive in each other.
  8. Inviting the teens into the sactuary for the Eucharistic prayer. It might sound chaotic, but in practice it can be an act of hospitality and intimacy that is transforming. A setting where joy is possible, even expected, will help greatly to free our youth to experience the beginnings of the heavenly banquet.
  9. Encourage people to gather after mass. Make sure that there are other experiences of prayer provided for youth.
  10. Make certain that everybody in the parish understands what the LIFE TEEN Mass is. Gently but firmly encourage those who disagree with its format to attend a different Sunday liturgy. We have found Sunday night to be an ideal time for the LIFE TEEN liturgy.
 
What is the LifeTeen mass? It’s a mass that fully invites teenagers into participation, comprehension, joy, and ownership of their Faith through different spectrum: joyful and vibrant Music, Homilies that truly speak to teens, and teens as greeters, extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist, music ministers, altar servers, et cetera.

Why do we need such a mass?

Teens live in a culture of death. They do not have the same maturity or experience as adults. They are lost among a culture that wants to buy them - they are a high-risk group. We need to reach out to them. They need to feel welcomed and loved, as Jesus would love them. We need to call them into an intimate relationship with Jesus. The most direct way to vitalize that relationship is through the person of Jesus in the Eucharist. Too many teens don’t come to mass, or they feel bored with it.

Should we not have a mass that makes them feel as welcomed and loved as Jesus wants them to be loved? Teens live in a different culture. They speak a different language. The Church documents say that a mass should be celebrated in respect of the culture it seeks to serve. Will some teens find much more comfort in a Latin mass or regular mass? Absolutely. Will some teens not attend mass at all dispite reach-out programs? Yep. Will some teens begin to attend the LifeTeen mass and get alot out of it? Yes! Will some begin to take leader positions in the preparation of and the celebration of the mass? For sure. Will teens start to invite thier friends to come to the LifeTeen mass and catechesis programs (LifeNights)? Absolutely.

How many teens are catholic and don’t attend mass? Is it not our duty to reach out to them? Jesus said to hinder the children not and let them come to Him. Should we not hinder teens from participating fully in our church?
1.Take them to the Traditional Latin Mass
2.Throw away the TV
Click to expand...
3.say the family rosary
4.burn all evil magazines and texts[thank you Baltimore Catechism[
[/quote]

Well, before you do #2 and #4, try sitting down and talking with your kids. Really listen to them. Let them feel important on a daily basis. Because they are important and they are loved. All they really want from you is love. Would Jesus sit down and talk to a child and make him or her feel important and loved? Or would he say “your way of prayer is wrong, your TV watching is an abomination to me, your magazines are evil, etc.”?

It’s not hard. Love your teens. Make them feel empowered. Let them grow into adults and make thier own decisions sometimes. Let them make mistakes and comfort them and help them learn from them. Love them as Jesus would love them.
 
The mentality of making The Mass to conform more with Teen is the spirit of disobedience.

People should conform to the Mass, not the other way around.
 
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Exalt:
A LifeTeen mass is a mass “geared towards teenagers.” This is straight out of “LifeTeen Training Conference Manual”: Please note that this was written two years before the new word from Rome.
  1. The liturgy of the Church is rich. Don’t mess with the ritual. You do a disservice to the community by breaking the unity of the universal experience of the order and flow of the liturgy. Work at helping teens understand the central elements of liturgy. Try to do what you do with excellence, style and grace. Bring out the real elements of the liturgy and place emphasis where it belings - on the Community, the Word, and the Eucharist.
  2. Talk to the teens. … Let them give (name removed by moderator)ut to the planning. In the homily, speak about morality, relationships, families, dating, etc…
  3. Don’t ever water down the gospel teachings. Most teens truly have not been taught the teachings of the Church. They want to know what the chruch stands for and what it is exactly that they beling to. We must talk honestly about doctrine, moral issues and relationships.
  4. Remeber that teens sometimes speak in a different lanugage than we do. A picture, an image, a skit or a song can convey much more than a lengthy sermon.
  5. Music is essential. Good liturgical music (simple, singable, and scriptural) should be chosen. It is appropraite to use a popular “radio” song once in a while as part of a visual presentation (slides, video, etc.). But liturgical music should be the regular fare. It is essential, however, that hte music be enriched with instruments, sparked with life and involve the community, not just the muscicians.
  6. Call teens forth to ministry. Involvement is the key to their taking ownership of the liturgy. Give them clear directions, make them practice their ministries, and help them handle their mistakes.
  7. Speak often of the ministry of the assembly. take time before Mass for people to greet eachother. Create a spirit of hispitality. Wecome visitors. Make certain that the details of hispitality (songbooks, etc.) are available. Assist those present in learning the importance of seeing the Word come alive in each other.
  8. Inviting the teens into the sactuary for the Eucharistic prayer. It might sound chaotic, but in practice it can be an act of hospitality and intimacy that is transforming. A setting where joy is possible, even expected, will help greatly to free our youth to experience the beginnings of the heavenly banquet.
  9. Encourage people to gather after mass. Make sure that there are other experiences of prayer provided for youth.
  10. Make certain that everybody in the parish understands what the LIFE TEEN Mass is. Gently but firmly encourage those who disagree with its format to attend a different Sunday liturgy. We have found Sunday night to be an ideal time for the LIFE TEEN liturgy.
Click to expand...
What is the level of authority of this statement?

Because there has NEVER BEEN such thing as Life Teen Mass in the formal rubric of the Mass.

And what a modernist hubrish those are.
 
Not a big lifeteen fan either - let us pray for a renewed respect for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass from our youth.

I believe it all begins with Catechetics and education that seems to be slipping in parishes. I notice that more vocations seem to stem from orthodox parishes and dioceses.

LifeTeen is good in helping people come to mass - but as far as the attending learning to respect the mass… we’ll have to keep praying.
 
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beng:
What is the level of authority of this statement?

Because there has NEVER BEEN such thing as Life Teen Mass in the formal rubric of the Mass.

And what a modernist hubrish those are.
Click to expand...
Beng, I was trying to explain what the LifeTeen mass tries to accomplish, from the founders of LifeTeen themselves.

Your comments make me sad. Number one - you can’t be in full knowledge of every Life Teen mass that has gone on around the globe. And number two - the only thing truly different about this mass were the unorthodox ending and the gathering in the sancuary. That’s it. Different music, youth EMC’s, lectors, and greeters, inclusive planning, and “geared towards teenage issues” homilies are not offenses against anything and follow the rubrics as closely as any other mass.
The mentality of making The Mass to conform more with Teen is the spirit of disobedience.

People should conform to the Mass, not the other way around.
Click to expand...
We will have to agree to disagree here. You don’t think that the teen culture is a seperate culture from the adult culture, and you also don’t seem to believe that it is allowed to have masses “target” certian cultures. Furthermore, you seem to have a contradiction: You support the latin masses. Shouldn’t you just conform to the N.O. mass? Both the latin mass and teen-geared masses are supported by the bishops and the Pope.

Why have a mass geared towards teenagers and not towards house wives and veterans? The Bishops and I agree: Youth are at a much higher risk than house wives and vets. Youth have a different culture than house wives and veterans as well (the latter two subscribe to the same culture as all of us). Youth also are at a significantly different place spiritual and emotionally than the difference between the normal mass and most other groups. And Youth are in far greater number than any other group.
Not a big lifeteen fan either - let us pray for a renewed respect for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass from our youth.

I believe it all begins with Catechetics and education that seems to be slipping in parishes. I notice that more vocations seem to stem from orthodox parishes and dioceses.

LifeTeen is good in helping people come to mass - but as far as the attending learning to respect the mass… we’ll have to keep praying.
Click to expand...
LifeTeen Mass = higher attendance
LifeNights + Apologetics Nights or Bible Studies Nights = good catechesis
Relational Ministry (both Youth-to-Youth and Minister-to-Youth) = Good, Solid, Catholic relationships

Sacraments + Catechesis + Solid Catholic Relationships + Willing Soul = Good Catholic

Simple.
 
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Exalt:
Beng, I was trying to explain what the LifeTeen mass tries to accomplish, from the founders of LifeTeen themselves.
Click to expand...
Yeah and those are a very modernist goals.
Your comments make me sad. Number one - you can’t be in full knowledge of every Life Teen mass that has gone on around the globe.
Click to expand...
I don’t know what this has to do with anything.
And number two - the only thing truly different about this mass were the unorthodox ending and the gathering in the sancuary. That’s it. Different music, youth EMC’s, lectors, and greeters, inclusive planning, and “geared towards teenage issues” homilies are not offenses against anything and follow the rubrics as closely as any other mass.
Click to expand...
Youth EMHC is a problem… wait, no … EMHC is the problem. This suppose to be EXTRAORDINARY but parishes think that this is norm. Poeple can’t afford to wait long in line because they need to leave the Church ASAP after communion ALA Judas.

And the abuse are not just those two (Gathering in sanctuary and Dismissal) but also the choice of music (If anyone saith that Michael W. Smith or any Christian Pop-Rock music can be use in the Holy Mass, LET HIM BE ANATHEMA) and instrument. Instrument like electric guitar, drum etc needs permission from Bishop. But most, with the spirit of disobedience, just use them without asking permission.
We will have to agree to disagree here. You don’t think that the teen culture is a seperate culture from the adult culture, and you also don’t seem to believe that it is allowed to have masses “target” certian cultures.
Click to expand...
I have a problem when Mass is change to conform to the desire of the youth instead of the other way around.
Furthermore, you seem to have a contradiction: You support the latin masses. Shouldn’t you just conform to the N.O. mass? Both the latin mass and teen-geared masses are supported by the bishops and the Pope.
Click to expand...
I’ve never even mentioned Latin Mass or Novus Ordo in this thread.
Why have a mass geared towards teenagers and not towards house wives and veterans? The Bishops and I agree: Youth are at a much higher risk than house wives and vets. Youth have a different culture than house wives and veterans as well (the latter two subscribe to the same culture as all of us). Youth also are at a significantly different place spiritual and emotionally than the difference between the normal mass and most other groups. And Youth are in far greater number than any other group.
Click to expand...
Baby Boomer who are now almost reach their retirement age are the greatest group in population. Not youth.
LifeTeen Mass = higher attendance
LifeNights + Apologetics Nights or Bible Studies Nights = good catechesis
Relational Ministry (both Youth-to-Youth and Minister-to-Youth) = Good, Solid, Catholic relationships

Sacraments + Catechesis + Solid Catholic Relationships + Willing Soul = Good Catholic

Simple.
Click to expand...
You can have a concert, play Michael W. Smith or even Metallica song OUTSIDE MASS, no one would really object. Infact, if you want to appeal more to the youth DO IT OUTSIDE MASS!! But when it come to the Divine Worship where we worthless human share the abundance and ultimate love shown at Calvary in a Mass, DO NOT TOY WITH IT!
 
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beng:
The mentality of making The Mass to conform more with Teen is the spirit of disobedience.

People should conform to the Mass, not the other way around.
Click to expand...
People should be transformed by the Mass, in any flavor. However, the Mass is definitely conformed to people. The Tridentine indult was provide for those who love that liturgy. The language of a venacular Mass is determined based on the needs of the people. Our vigil Mass has been tailor by music selection and lack of music in some parts to a more elderly crowd.

Trying to reach out to teens in a pastoral manner is totally acceptable. Individual abuses surely need to be corrected, but that needs to be addressed by those folks who are local and are familiar with the abuses. Perhaps also those who are publish the LifeTeen guidlines need to re-evaluate their correctness in light of Redemtionis Sacramentum.
 
40.png
Exalt:
A LifeTeen mass is a mass “geared towards teenagers.” This is straight out of “LifeTeen Training Conference Manual”: Please note that this was written two years before the new word from Rome.
  1. The liturgy of the Church is rich. Don’t mess with the ritual. You do a disservice to the community by breaking the unity of the universal experience of the order and flow of the liturgy. Work at helping teens understand the central elements of liturgy. Try to do what you do with excellence, style and grace. Bring out the real elements of the liturgy and place emphasis where it belings - on the Community, the Word, and the Eucharist.
Click to expand...
Notice the order of emphasis. Community first and Eucharist last. This says it all. The LifeTeen Mass is emphasising the wrong point on the Mass. And it is a contradiction in itself by the fact that it is taking the teens out of the regular community and setting them apart. I totally agree that teens and young adults have separte issues that need to be addressed but I do not feel that the way to address those issues is through a separate Mass. Instead of investing so much time and talent into a LifeTeen Mass, parishes and dioceses need to focus on other sorts of activities such as catechesis with substance and not these hogwash “youth groups” where kids just get together and yack about issues that could be discussed at any public school. The youth of this Catholic Church are at a dire risk of abandoning their faith if they are not exposed to the realities and truthes of the Catholic Church. The way to reach out us is not by setting us apart at a different Mass, but by making available programs such as Bible study classes and social groups that address apropriate issues outside of Mass. The celebration of the Eucharist is too Sacred to be tampered with. I am sayig this as a 21 year old who almost lost my faith by the frivolity that I encountered in my local parishes, such as LifeTeen, and the lack of any good catechesis. I went though a two year Confirmation program and learned nothing. Ok, I learned how to deal with people in relationship and junk like that, but I learned nothing about the Church and Her teachings. Luckily, I found a great Catholic University and an even better parish about 20 minutes away from my home. I just hope that my education will help to me to improve the conditions that we know have at our Churches and that I can bring Christ back to the center of Church life, instead of helping people feel good about themselves even when they are not doing the right thing.
 
40.png
beng:
Read this part:

I recently received word from Rome that we
need to make a couple of changes in our Mass.
The two changes will be (1) to stop gathering
children and teens in the sanctuary at
Children’s, EDGE and 6 p.m. Teen Masses,
and (2) to stop saying, “The Mass never ends…”
at the end of our liturgies. Before you react,
please understand that we are cooperating fully
in what the Church has asked us to do. We
received a great endorsement from Rome for
LIFE TEEN, which will help the program to grow.
You’ll hear more about this later.

I hope this is some formal thing.

Life Teen is so prune with abuses that even little news like this is refreshing.
Click to expand...
Rome has spoken. Lifeteen must comform to the rubrics of the Mass.
 
40.png
Amy77025:
Notice the order of emphasis. Community first and Eucharist last. This says it all. The LifeTeen Mass is emphasising the wrong point on the Mass. And it is a contradiction in itself by the fact that it is taking the teens out of the regular community and setting them apart. I totally agree that teens and young adults have separte issues that need to be addressed but I do not feel that the way to address those issues is through a separate Mass. … parishes and dioceses need to focus on other sorts of activities such as catechesis with substance and not these hogwash “youth groups” where kids just get together and yack about issues that could be discussed at any public school. The youth of this Catholic Church are at a dire risk of abandoning their faith if they are not exposed to the realities and truthes of the Catholic Church. The way to reach out us is not by setting us apart at a different Mass, but by making available programs such as Bible study classes and social groups that address apropriate issues outside of Mass. The celebration of the Eucharist is too Sacred to be tampered with. I am sayig this as a 21 year old who almost lost my faith by the frivolity that I encountered in my local parishes, such as LifeTeen, and the lack of any good catechesis. I went though a two year Confirmation program and learned nothing. Ok, I learned how to deal with people in relationship and junk like that, but I learned nothing about the Church and Her teachings. Luckily, I found a great Catholic University and an even better parish about 20 minutes away from my home. I just hope that my education will help to me to improve the conditions that we know have at our Churches and that I can bring Christ back to the center of Church life, instead of helping people feel good about themselves even when they are not doing the right thing.
Click to expand...
LifeTeen’s ministry is three-pronged:
  • A Well-Planned Liturgy that specifically invites teens
  • Good Catechesis through Life Nights and Bible Studies/Apologetics, and prayer times (such as XLT adoration, for example) or other prayer meetings.
  • Good Relational ministry.
A LT program is all about implementation. You can have a bad LT program that doesn’t address all these things, or address one poorly and the other ones well.

I absolutely agree to all the points you said about balanceing Catechesis with Social ministry. However, LifeTeen does offer much support with all different angles of youth ministry.

As far as your comments about the eucharist being last in the phrase “Community, Word, Eucharist”: In the order of the Training Guide, the section on discussing what exactly the Eucharist is is much longer than the section on Liturgy. And it comes first. I wouldn’t put too much importance on the mere word order, however. Getting teens to understand the absolute importance of the Eucharist is very very important in the LifeTeen program.
Rome has spoken. Lifeteen must comform to the rubrics of the Mass.
Click to expand...
Right. What do you think about this part though? "We
received a great endorsement from Rome for
LIFE TEEN, which will help the program to grow."
People should be transformed by the Mass, in any flavor. However, the Mass is definitely conformed to people. The Tridentine indult was provide for those who love that liturgy. The language of a venacular Mass is determined based on the needs of the people. Our vigil Mass has been tailor by music selection and lack of music in some parts to a more elderly crowd.
Click to expand...
Trying to reach out to teens in a pastoral manner is totally acceptable. Individual abuses surely need to be corrected, but that needs to be addressed by those folks who are local and are familiar with the abuses. Perhaps also those who are publish the LifeTeen guidlines need to re-evaluate their correctness in light of Redemtionis Sacramentum.
Click to expand...
Very good points. I’m sure that the Training manual will be re-made soon.
 
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