Life Teen

[tonysales1]

As a youth minister running Life Teen in a parish… i wish to hear from you as to what your thoughts are if you have experienced a Teen mass or life nights? What about the idea of modern praise and worship music in a mass and during the Eucharistic Prayer having youth around the altar?

 

[cradlecatholic4]

LT is great! As a Core Team (CT) we believe in the mission of leading teens closer to Christ. LT mass is one way to begin the evening. It centers the focus of LT where it belongs, on the mass and Eucharist. The modern P/W music is great! about standing around th altar, our bishop will not permit this as it is exclusive of those who are not teens but attending mass. don’t be alarmed about this. We are still very clearly focused on the mass and eucharist. good luck and God bless!

 

[Catholig]

As a youth minister running Life Teen in a parish… i wish to hear from you as to what your thoughts are if you have experienced a Teen mass or life nights? What about the idea of modern praise and worship music in a mass and during the Eucharistic Prayer having youth around the altar?

I’m a teen - and while I have no problem with life night I wouldn’t recommend a “teen mass”. Instead of praise and worship music, try some tradition. Try getting the choir or maybe just one cantor to sing the Kyrie in Greek, the Sanctus in Latin, and the Agnus Dei in Latin. If it is Sunday a Gloria in Latin as well.

You can view the Kyriale Romanum here.

Catholig

 

[Catholig]

LT is great! As a Core Team (CT) we believe in the mission of leading teens closer to Christ. LT mass is one way to begin the evening. It centers the focus of LT where it belongs, on the mass and Eucharist. The modern P/W music is great! about standing around th altar, our bishop will not permit this as it is exclusive of those who are not teens but attending mass. don’t be alarmed about this. We are still very clearly focused on the mass and eucharist. good luck and God bless!

You shouldn’t stand around the altar, not because it is “exclusive”, but because lay people aren’t meant to casually “hang out” in the sanctuary. At least Lay lectors, et cetera have a job to do.

Catholig

 

[azsuntea]

As a youth minister running Life Teen in a parish… i wish to hear from you as to what your thoughts are if you have experienced a Teen mass or life nights? What about the idea of modern praise and worship music in a mass and during the Eucharistic Prayer having youth around the altar?

As a long time member of the parish where Life Teen was founded and having, now grown, children who participated in the program I have been able to attend many many Teen Masses. I find the modern music and worship to bring the youth into a greater participation in the service. But be careful of those who try to bring music in with a more secular message.

The practice of having the youth around the altar was ended several years ago here as it was ruled as not appropriate.

The devotion, I have witnessed, which developes in the youth to Our Lord, and his Blessed Mother, is uplifting. We have also seen a very significant number of young people entering the priesthood and other religious orders.

My prayers for the success of your ministry.

 

[Sina]

I have never been to Life Teen, but I know there is one close to where I live. I drive by all the time wondering what it is all about…

 

[goofyjim]

If it brings people to Jesus there shouldn’t be a problem with it.

 

[agapewolf]

You shouldn’t stand around the altar, not because it is “exclusive”, but because lay people aren’t meant to casually “hang out” in the sanctuary. At least Lay lectors, et cetera have a job to do.

Catholig

Teens around the altar is now moot anyway, however, I would like to clear something up.

The original thought of bringing teens around the altar during the lifeteen mass was not a gimick. The idea was that they were “ministers” at the mass in much the same way as a lay lector, server, or a bride/groom are when they are set apart and closer to the altar. The ministry they did was by their participation, their closeness (visually and hopefully spiritually), their reverence would minister to the folks in the pews…especially their parents. What parent wouldn’t be moved and effected by seeing their teen in close proximity to the altar in prayer?

I’m not defending it to the fact that it was 100% correct, or smart to do, but just trying to put out some understanding. The original act of gathering the teens around the altar was not an attempt to be disobedient or lessening the role of the priest.

When the new GIRM came out, Cardinal Arinze had talks with the lifeteen leaders about this action. He told them that they could apply for an indult to continue the practice, but asked them not to, mostly because of the attitudes of people that don’t understand it. They immediately and graciously agreed and stopped the practice. (Lifeteen sent out a letter and video to all parishes instructing them to stop the practice).

 

[PatienceAndLove]

As a youth minister running Life Teen in a parish… i wish to hear from you as to what your thoughts are if you have experienced a Teen mass or life nights? What about the idea of modern praise and worship music in a mass and during the Eucharistic Prayer having youth around the altar?

Hello! I attended a few LIFETeen meetings when I was in High School, and I felt like my intelligence was insulted. We got taught at, then broke into “small groups” to discuss whatever the subject was.
I felt no connection from the Mass we had just attended to what was going on at the “meetings”, and I use that term loosely, because it felt like a dumbed down version of school.
At the time, the P&W was cool, but the hand motions were moronic.

As I have not been a part of LT in a while, I am not sure of the “teaching” that is going on. But, perhaps, the adult version of the Baltimore Catechism needs to be a regular resource, rather than the Core Team binder. I also never saw a Bible out at any of the meetings I attended.
I think the Mass needs to be done in all of it’s Mysterious and Majestic Glory. Have a P&W time before the Mass, do the rosary, and have 5-10 minutes of sacred silence before the Mass. Use the Latin responses, they are gorgeous and filled with the Majesty due to Our Lord.
Make sure that there is regular Eucharistic Adoration occurring.

I am an ed major- and NO ONE is giving credit to the intelligence of teenages. Everything is dumbed down, so they can “understand” and “participate” instead of making the students work hard to be better.

Don’t assume that the teens are stupid, don’t care, or need to be pandered to. Don’t dumb it down. Give it hard, give it straight, and state the Truth that the Church teaches.

As for the standing around the altar- No. There is no reason for anyone other than the priest and deacon to be at the altar during the consecration (including the EMHCs).

Perhaps, at your particular Church, you could introduce kneeling to receive Our Lord, with the consent of your priest. It will help teach the importance of the Eucharist, and perhaps bring back the firm belief in Transubstantiation. Of course, the CoreTeam would need to be sure that this practice doesn’t just start. Teach the teens about it, and then talk about the practice. Talk about WHY this practice is important.
Teach about Traditionalism and Orthodoxy. If you, the Leader, are not comfortable, perhaps invite an FSSP priest in to talk to the group.

I could go on and on, but I will stop…for now MUAHAHAHAHA

 

[agapewolf]

We got taught Don’t assume that the teens are stupid, don’t care, or need to be pandered to. Don’t dumb it down. Give it hard, give it straight, and state the Truth that the Church teaches.

THat is pretty much a quote from the Lifeteen core handbook.

THey are supposed to be teaching straight Catholic teaching.

Sounds like you got in a not so good group, or one that didn’t have a qualified youth minister, or something,

 

[Sam88]

I’ve been in a large number of LT masses, and I am convinced that they are helpful for a significant number of people – although I do not prefer them myself. Some of the music was quite good, but occasionally a poor song was included that was overly repetitious and shallow.

I have not heard of a life night, there was nothing by that name in my parish.

I think that concern about musical styles should never overshadow a focus on the homily. What we really need is more first rate preaching. Even the best devotional music is not enough for long if the homily is uninspired.

 

[PatienceAndLove]

THat is pretty much a quote from the Lifeteen core handbook.

THey are supposed to be teaching straight Catholic teaching.

Sounds like you got in a not so good group, or one that didn’t have a qualified youth minister, or something,

All I know is that this particular group produced more Teen Cafeteria Catholics than anything else I know of. And more than one person abandoned the group for other Teen Groups.

Also- I am hearing more and more that LifeTeen is not challenging the faith of our Teens. They are leaving, in droves, for other Churches. I have two teenaged friends who left the Church completely, because LT, and the Church, were not challenging their faith. They felt, as I stated before, intellectually insulted and spiritually unfulfilled. There are college aged friends of mine who abandoned LT because they felt insulted by the program and the “dumbed down curriculum” (direct quote)

MAKE SURE you are challenging their faith. Make them go search on their own, and make them understand the WHY and the HOW.

 

[1ke]

As a youth minister running Life Teen in a parish… i wish to hear from you as to what your thoughts are if you have experienced a Teen mass or life nights?

Yes, I have been to a Life Teen mass and no I have not been to a life night.

What about the idea of modern praise and worship music in a mass

“Modern” music is not appropriate for the liturgy, in my opinion.

I agree that teens should be taught the Kyrie, Agnus Dei, Sanctus, etc.

and during the Eucharistic Prayer having youth around the altar?

This is not allowed. This abuse was addressed by Rome and Life Teen was told to cease this practice.

 

[agapewolf]

“Modern” music is not appropriate for the liturgy, in my opinion.

• regarding gathering around altar: *

This is not allowed. This abuse was addressed by Rome and Life Teen was told to cease this practice.

First of all, how do you know that GOd isn’t inspiring people today to write music for Mass? Why does everyone blanket “modern” music as bad? All modern music isn’t bad, and there is some very exceptional music out there written in contemporary style, and yes, approved for Mass.

Second of all, the gathering around the altar was not an abuse at the time, if you will read my past post. They were not told to “cease this practice” as you say. The story unfolds in a much different way.

Patience and Love, I’m sorry you had that experience…however, in MY experience, as a youth minister, in the 1 1/2 years I had lifeteen at a parish, I had 3 vocations come out of there. THe neighboring parish had 12 in 3 1/2 years.

Its the way it was done, it wasn’t lifeteen itself

 

[1ke]

First of all, how do you know that GOd isn’t inspiring people today to write music for Mass?

I never said that he isn’t.

Why does everyone blanket “modern” music as bad?

Please show me where I, or anyone else, stated that modern music is “bad”. I did not.

Second of all, the gathering around the altar was not an abuse at the time, if you will read my past post.

Yes, it was always an abuse. Thankfully it is no longer tolerated/overlooked/slid under the radar.

They were not told to “cease this practice” as you say. The story unfolds in a much different way.

Um… whatever. They were told not to do it, cease, stop… whatever synonym you prefer.

 

[VociMike]

Second of all, the gathering around the altar was not an abuse at the time, if you will read my past post. They were not told to “cease this practice” as you say. The story unfolds in a much different way.

Since when has having members of the congregation gather around the altar not been an abuse? I’d really like to hear when it “became” an abuse (rather than when the Vatican cracked down on it - an entirely different matter).

 

[kage_ar]

The LifeNite examples I’ve been around are painfully dumbed down. The “skits” they might work for a class of 3-5th graders and maybe certain Jr High kids, however, the high school teens stopped attending any youth ministry functions because of the stupid skits and games (direct quotes from the kids).

Pray here, we are trying to bring back the teens this year - and there will not be skits.

 

[little]

lifeteen ruined my family, it’s a bad idea

 

[Lepanto]

I’m a middle-aged fogey.

Can I have my own “designer” Mass too in order to pander to me and my age group? If the Mass can be marketed and perhapes even altered to the teen demographic, why not for other groups too?

(And we want '80s hair bands music, not P&W).

 

[GandalfTheWhite]

lifeteen ruined my family, it’s a bad idea

I don’t know, but I just found this post very funny. Sorry!