LIFE TEEN is an international Catholic youth program started in Mesa, Arizona in 1985 providing faith enriching activities to teens grades 9-12.  Our Columbia program started in early 1996, and serves the youth of both St. Thomas More and Sacred Heart.  Learn more about LIFE TEEN at www.lifeteen.com

Mission and Goals for LIFE TEEN:

-         To lead teens closer to Christ

-         To provide Liturgical/Prayer opportunities for the youth

-         To Deepen the Spirituality and prayer of our youth

-         To Deepen their Knowledge of the Church

-         To provide opportunities for service in our parishes and community

LIFE TEEN activities to accomplish these goals:

LIFE TEEN Mass: Every Sunday at 5:30pm the St. Thomas More hosts a liturgy designed to reach teenagers, although all Catholics are welcome.  At the LIFE TEEN mass the music and homily are focused on the youth to help them grow spiritually.  Also, teens serve as mass ministers and are encouraged to sit together to foster a sense of community in our Church.

Life Nights: Every Sunday following the LIFE TEEN Mass at St. Thomas More.  Each week there is a different topic/theme to help the teens experience God.  Topics can be educational (Lent, The Reformation) on an issue (Moral Decision Making) spiritual (praise and worship) or sometimes just social (Trivia Challenge).  The goal of each night is to deepen spirituality and knowledge of the Church and to grow in relationship with Jesus while developing a faith community among peers.  Teens are welcome to attend a Life Night even if they did not attend the 5:30pm Mass.

The Midst: Every Tuesday at 7pm in the Sacred Heart Chapel.  Our main goal is to prayerfully discuss the Sunday scriptures so we can understand them better prior to Sunday mass.  Time is also spent in prayer, song and fellowship.  This presents a great time for teenagers to go deeper in their faith.

Semester Retreats: In the fall and spring we head out of Columbia and go on retreat for a weekend to deepen our spirituality and make new friends.  Each retreat has a different theme, and each creates moments of renewed spirituality.  These are times the teens are able to establish their identity in Christ and in the Church.

Service Opportunities: Each month LIFE TEEN tries to plan a service opportunity for us to give back to the community at large.