Life Teen

Life Teen is a Catholic youth ministry organization and movement originating in the United States. Life Teen believes that "Eucharist-based ministry has the power to transform teens, transform parishes, and transform culture." "Inspired by pope John Paul II's call for a New Evangelization, Life Teen believes that youth are the key to this new springtime in the Church."

Life Teen is known primarily for their parish-based Life Teen program for high school teenagers and is used by over 1,600 Catholic parishes in 31 countries around the world. In 2003, "seeing the need for dynamic middle school ministry," they launched the Edge program for middle school youth which is now used by almost 1,000 parishes in 10 countries. As of 2005, over 100,000 high-school-age Catholics across the country attend Life Teen each week.

Life Teen was established in 1985 at St. Timothy's Parish in Mesa, Arizona to "lead teens closer to Christ." Founder and then-priest Dale Fushek believed that a new approach was needed to evangelize the Catholic youth in the area. The goal was to revolutionize youth ministry and bring the message of Jesus Christ to teenagers in a way they could understand. Fushek was later excommunicated and laicized following a sexual abuse scandal of teens in the program and opening of a non-denominational Protestant oriented worship center in the Phoenix area.

Life Teen has developed a dynamic model to help Youth Ministers and adult program leaders, known as Core members, execute comprehensive Catholic youth ministry in a parish setting. In the program, youth typically attend a Sunday Mass specifically intended for them, which is also often attended by teens' families and other interested parishioners. Music and homilies are focused on teens and teens are invited to be trained in approved liturgical ministries such as lectors, ushers, altar servers, greeters, and extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist. Following Mass, a "Life Night" is held, which incorporates teaching in Catholic beliefs, interactive activities, and socialization.

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