What is a LifeTeen Mass?

[Annemariels]

I have read this term in a couple of threads but have no idea what Lifeteen is. What part of the country do they have LifeTeen? Just curious…

Anne Marie

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

Here’s their web site: lifeteen.com/

And here’s where you can look for parishes offering it: lifeteen.com/default.aspx?PageID=PRFIND

 

[puzzleannie]

I have read this term in a couple of threads but have no idea what Lifeteen is. What part of the country do they have LifeTeen? Just curious…

Anne Marie

some parishes I know of in NE Ohio who have Lifeteen as their youth program, including the Masses as well as the teaching and other activities are St. Mary’s in Hudson and St. Helen in Newberry. St. Mary’s is the regional HQ for Lifeteen and a call to the Youth Minister there can get you more info on programs in your area if you wish to attend and check it out.

Lifeteen is a comprehensive program for catechesis, evangelization and spiritual growth for teens. In some parishes it functions as total youth ministry, in others as Confirmation preparation, in still others as “youth group” to keep teens who have already been confirmed active in the Church.

It includes teaching, evangelizing, service project, group events and the central core of the gatherings is the Mass. That is laudable. There have been however, in the past, largely corrected now, some abuses which arose from trying things for good reasons–having youth understand more about the Mass, participating more actively etc–yet which ignored proper procedure. Examples are gathering around the altar during the Eucharistic prayer, which is not allowed. Typically the music will be of contemporary style which is not an abuse, as long as it is suitable for liturgy, but not to everyone’s taste.

The issue of orthodoxy is bound to come up so I will point out the Franciscan University of Steubenville teaches Lifeteen–catechists, youth ministers and volunteers must be fully trained in the program and it requires lots of volunteers to function well–as their Youth Ministry program through their catechetical formation in the summer conferences. If anyone can “baptize” Lifeteen and assure the content and manner of carrying it out are proper, they are the ones to do it.