LIFE TEEN is a Catholic youth ministry program for high school teens.  Our main goals are to:

  • support our parish parents' efforts to help their teens foster a strong relationship with Christ and the Catholic Church
  • draw teens into a deeper relationship with Christ and the Catholic Church
  • work with teens to help them integrate their Catholic faith into their everyday lives
  • help young people enter into the process of discerning their God-given vocation

We have a good number of teens from all the surrounding high schools (North Meck, Hopewell, Lake Norman Charter, Mallard Creek, Charlotte Catholic, Hough, Pine Lake Prep, Cox Mill, CSD, Christ the King, and more) so teens are bound to know someone, and they are also welcome to bring friends.  We reach out to teens on four different levels: spiritual, catechetical, emotional, and social.   We have lots of different ways that work toward this goal.

LITURGY:  As Catholics, everything flows from the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and the Sacraments.  We strive to foster in the teens not only an understanding of the Holy Mass and the Sacraments, but active involvement, whether they are involved in the liturgical ministries, or simply actively entering into the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass from the pews.   Teens participate in various ministries, ranging from Ushers and Altar Servers to Lectors and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion. 

 

LIFE NIGHTS:  We meet Sundays after 5 p.m. Holy Mass (about 6 p.m.)  We start out with fellowship over a meal.  Our Life Night sessions are filled with activities, talks, discussion, music, prayer and reflection, and they are geared toward reaching teens where they are at.  Life Nights run until 8 p.m.  Throughout high school, following the U.S. Bishop’s guidelines, our semester themes are: Sacred Scripture, Paschal Mystery, The Church, The Person of Christ, Social Justice, The Sacraments, and Morality.  Looking forward to seeing you on Sunday nights! 

 

GOING DEEPER for Juniors & Seniors:  Every Monday night, in the Life Teen office, Fr. Miller and I meet with 11th and 12th graders. This is an opportunity for them to bring up questions, discuss, and dialogue on a deeper level about issues that are of concern to them.  We have ‘gone deeper’ about tattoos, plastic surgery, different planes of existence, angels and demons, arranged marriage, stereotypes, and a host of other topics that the teens have brought up.  Starts at 7 p.m. and finishes at 8:30 p.m.

 

CATHOLIC ATHLETES FOR CHRIST: Life Teen Youth Ministry is really excited about being a part of Catholic Athletes for Christ (CAC)!  We meet in either the parish hall or over at the gym at St. Mark School.  Meetings are on 1st & 3rd Wednesdays each month, unless otherwise specified in the calendar. The meeting goes from 7-8:30 p.m.  It includes food, sports, and a short talk on some issue related to the faith, sports, and how to live as a Catholic athlete without compromising on your faith.  Bl. John Paul II advises us that, ‘Every Christian is called to become a strong athlete of Christ, that is a faithful and courageous witness to His Gospel.’” We have CAC Teen leaders who help us plan the nights, and help lead small groups as well!  We send out text and e-mail updates to help keep everyone informed.  Also, check the upcoming events section of this website for info about upcoming CAC meetings.  We invite you to join us as an "athlete for Christ."

 

TEEN BIBLE STUDY: Every 2nd and 4th Wednesday, we meet in the youth office from 7-8:30 p.m.  This Bible study is a chance for the teens to read through the upcoming Sunday Mass readings, and discuss them with fellow teens.  We usually have food, and some social time first, playing or game, or just talking together, which is great to allow the teens to meet other teens, and get comfortable.  If your teen(s) has never been to a Bible study, please encourage them to!

 

SERVICE:  Currently, we are striving to provide more opportunities for teens to get involved in service.  We have the following things happening now. 

  • Operation Sandwich - monthly (see calendar for dates)
  • Summer Workcamp - a week-long trip to serve the poor (open to rising 9th - graduating seniors)
  • Operation Christmas Child - once a year, usually in the beginning of December
  • Missionaries of Charity Refugee Camp - summertime, as well as tutoring during the school year (see Tim for more details)
  • Bingo w/ the Elderly at Olde Knox Commons Nursing Home - 4th Tuesday afternoons each month, 3:15-4:15 p.m.  If you are interested in helping with this, please contact Tim Flynn.  We only need about 6 teens each Tuesday, so if your teen would like to commit to regularly doing this, please let me know.  We could set groups of teens up on other Tuesdays as well.  Please let us know if this might work for you.

EUCHARISTIC ADORATION:  Every Friday afternoon, from 3-4 p.m. teens meet at the small Eucharistic chapel in the Family Center for adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament.  This is a great way for anyone to start off their weekend!  At times, we will pray together, or the teens will take some time for spiritual reading and conversation with God.  Please encourage your teen(s) to come check this out!

 

RETREATS & TRIPS:  We have many different trips and activities above and beyond our regular meetings, which can really help your teen(s) develop strong relationships with God and other teens, and grow in their Catholic faith.  Every summer, we participate in a Steubenville Youth Conference.  Every November, on the weekend before Thanksgiving, we have our annual Fall Retreat down at Camp Thunderbird.  Every January, we head to Washington, D.C. for the annual March for Life.  Every spring, we participate in the Bishop’s Lenten Pilgrimage at Belmont Abbey College.  Every September, we plug into the annual Diocesan Eucharistic Congress in Charlotte.  Please stay tuned to the calendar for info on these and other activities and trips. 

  • Eucharistic Congress in Charlotte in September
  • Annual Fall Retreat at Camp Thunderbird in November
  • March for Life trip to Washington, D.C.in January
  • Youth 2000 Retreat in February
  • Bishop's Lenten Pilgrimage to Belmont Abbey in March
  • Covecrest Summer Camp
  • Steubenville Summer Youth Conference
  • Summer Workcamp

LIFE SUPPORT:  On the 4th Saturday of each month during the school year, a group of teens heads down (with adult chaperones) to a local abortion clinic to peacefully pray and witness to the sanctity of all human life.  We pray a Rosary together, and take some silent time to pray for the mothers, the unborn babies, and the office and medical personnel at the abortion clinic, and for the grace of healing and conversion.  We start out with Holy Mass at 9 a.m. at St. Mark, and then we depart for the abortion clinic.  We return to St. Mark between 11-11:30 a.m.