St. Basil Life Teen Parent News

St. Basil Life Teen Parent News -- May 2011 Edition

noreply@blogger.com (St. Basil Parent News) — Wed, 18 May 2011 19:48:00 +0000

1. Life Teen in the past month

We had life nights on marriage, divorce, and the love of Good Friday this spring semester.
We had life nights on Pornography and another one to wrap up our Vocations semester on how important it is to involve God in our life decisions.
We had a senior send-off where we gave thanks to our outstanding senior class and honored Blessed Pope John Paul II on the day of his beatification.

2. Life Teen in the next month

May 22 - 8th grade Preview night for 8th graders AND their parents. Teens in the Parish Center; Parents in the Family Life Center, both from 6:45-8 p.m.
May 31 - Ultimate Frisbee. Current high schoolers and college students home for the summer are invited as we challenge youth groups from other parishes.
Every Wednesday -- Oratory discussion group. Faith and Fun for high schoolers as we look at how the Faith is relevant to our lives today.
Sign up for Servants for Christ -- Local service project for high schoolers AND college age young adults. Sign up at www.basilteen.com.

3. A few victories for God - God is winning, one victory at a time.

We have more seniors attending Catholic colleges in the Fall than ever before!
We had 10 juniors attend training to be Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion to serve the parish in that capacity.
We have some young men and women considering calls to the priesthood and religious life.

4. Parent website of the month - www.catholic.com

Learn the Faith. Defend the Faith.

5. Please support our teens with prayer and through the monthly Life Teen envelope. Our ministry of leading teens closer to Christ can't be accomplished without your help and generosity!

St. Basil Life Teen Parent News -- February 2011 Edition

noreply@blogger.com (St. Basil Parent News) — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 22:23:00 +0000

1. Life Teen in the past month

Corresponding to our semester on vocations, we had life nights on the Universal Call to Holiness, the Priesthood, and the Consecrated Religious Life.
We took 35 people to the national Pro-Life March in Washington, D.C. It was an awesome experience. We went to the Holocaust Museum to make the connection between that and abortion, we toured some of the monuments, and we joined hundreds of thousands of peaceful, happy people in loving life. Encourage your teenager to join us next year.
Our Superbowl Party was packed with pinatas, contests, and the Steelers losing.

2. Life Teen in the next month

Feb. 13 - Life Night on Pornography. The significant dangers, safeguards, and solutions of this exploding phenomenon will be discussed. We will uphold human dignity for men and women. **Although we will not be discussing anything graphic, you should still judge your particular teenager's maturity level accordingly.**
Feb. 20 - NO LIFE NIGHT
Feb. 27 - Social
March 4-6 - SPRING RETREAT!!!! Download the forms at www.basilteen.com. This weekend will change your son or daughter's life. Let God take care of them for the weekend.
March 6 - NO LIFE NIGHT. We will be coming back from retreat that day.

3. A few victories for God - God is winning, one victory at a time.

We have 136 sophomore candidates for Confirmation - the most ever!
We took 35 people to the national Pro-Life March - the most ever!
We have a few young men considering calls to the priesthood. Pray for them!
We have almost 50 people planning our spring retreat - the most ever!

4. Parent website of the month - www.ncregister.com

Faithful, informative, creative. The National Catholic Register is a print and online newspaper covering the current issues in Catholicism relevant to our lives. Stay up to date. Be an informed Catholic.

5. Please support our teens with prayer and through the monthly Life Teen envelope. Our ministry of leading teens closer to Christ can't be accomplished without your help and generosity!

St. Basil Life Teen Parent News -- December 2010 Edition

noreply@blogger.com (St. Basil Parent News) — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 20:14:00 +0000

1. Life Teen in the past month

We had an XLT Eucharistic Praise and Worship Service.
We had a Life Night on Homosexuality. ALL people are made in God's image, and ALL people are called to holiness.
We had a life night on the Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist.
We had a life night on the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
We had the Oratory every Wednesday night. The Oratory is our weekly discussion group of all things important and awesome.

2. Life Teen in the next month

No life night on Dec. 26th.
Life Nights resume on Jan. 2nd with a New Year's Social.
Jan. 9 - Life Night prayer service for vocations with the rest of the parish.
Jan. 16 - LN on Universal & Unique calls to holiness
Jan. 23 - LN on the vocation to Priesthood
Jan. 30 - LN on the vocation to Consecrated Life

3. A few victories for God - God is winning, one victory at a time.

A dozen of our teenage girls had a stocking stuffing party to give much-needed items for women at Maggie’s Place, a Cleveland house of hospitality for expectant mothers who are alone or living on the streets. Hundreds of dollars worth of donated items went to needy mothers for Christmas.

4. Parent websites of the month -

Here's what your teenager is watching on YouTube. http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/top-youtube-videos-2010/story?id=12379343&tqkw=&tqshow=GMA&tqkw=&tqshow=GMA
Report on Media Sexualization of Teen Girls: http://www.parentstv.org/FemaleSexualization/Study/Sexualized_Teen_Girls.pdf
Being Catholic is awesome. Click on and watch the "Epic Commercial".
www.catholicscomehome.org

5. Please support our teens with prayer and through the monthly Life Teen envelope. Our ministry of leading teens closer to Christ can't be accomplished without your help and generosity!

St. Basil Life Teen Parent News - November 2010 Edition

noreply@blogger.com (St. Basil Parent News) — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 16:28:00 +0000

1. Life Teen last month

We had a hayride social, life nights on Baptism and Confirmation, and a Halloween social.
We had the Oratory every Wednesday

2. Life Teen this month

We just had our Fall Retreat!
Nov. 14 - XLT Eucharistic Praise and Worship Service
Nov. 21 - Life Night on Homosexuality and the Church
Nov. 28 - NO LIFE NIGHT - Thanksgiving weekend
We have the Oratory every Wednesday for teens who want a smaller scale event where they can learn and share their opinions

3. A few victories for God - God is winning, one victory at a time.

117 teenagers came on our Fall Retreat!
We had 11 priests come to hear all those confessions on Retreat.
Many teenagers who said they thought they weren't going to like it ended up loving the weekend.

4. Parent website of the month - timetoact.drugfree.org According to the newly released National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse XV: Teens and Parents, there has been a 39% increase (since last year) of tween exposure to drugs in school. One in three middle school students are now reporting drugs being used, kept or sold on their school grounds. Would you know if your child was drinking, smoking or using other drugs? Would you know the difference between typical tween behavior and warning signs for risky tween behavior? Also find more helpful local info at http://bbhcapa.org/

5. Please support our teens with prayer and through the monthly Life Teen envelope. Our ministry of leading teens closer to Christ can't be accomplished without your help and generosity!

St. Basil Life Teen Parent News -- October 2010 Edition

noreply@blogger.com (St. Basil Parent News) — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 19:39:00 +0000

1. Life Teen last month

You can still sign up for Fall Retreat! Late Fee date extended. Enjoy the original price on Retreat applications through Friday, Oct. 22. www.basilteen.com
After wrapping up the summer with Guys' and Girls' Nights Out and The FEST, we launched the Fall semester of Life Teen with 240 teenagers at our launch. Wow, that's a lot of pizza.
We put to rest our weekly Prayer Group, and replaced it with The Oratory. Through the intercession of St. Philip Neri, we reflect on all things divine, human, and less than human. 7:30-8:30 p.m. every Wednesday night in the Annex is open to all high schoolers to dive deeper into our faith and make some great friends.

2. Life Teen this month

Oct. 10 - was our Hayride with over 200 teens in attendance. This Fall classic never fails to disappoint.
Oct. 17 - Our night on Baptism included a real Baptism of the Youth Minister's newborn daughter. We learned about this great first sacrament and then witnessed it firsthand.
Oct. 24 - Continuing our semester on Sacraments, this Life Night on Confirmation will unravel the power and blessings God has in store when He seals us with the Holy Spirit.
Oct. 31 - This is a Halloween Social. Teens are invited to bring a costume as we have some fun on All Saints Day Eve.

3. A few victories for God - God is winning, one victory at a time.

We have over 200 families receiving this parent e-newsletter! Please spread the word or forward the link to other parents you know so they can stay in the loop.
Every week we have 15-30 teens who come to an optional, won't-get-credit-for-it, just want to be there gathering of The Oratory. Some even chose to go to daily Mass beforehand at 7 p.m.
We have 34 teenagers going the extra mile and helping plan all the sessions of the Fall Retreat! They will get even more out of the retreat experience. We have 2 or 3 who can't even make it to the retreat but still want to help plan it.

4. Parent website of the month - Who knew Family Dinners were THIS important! Here's real research as to the significance. http://www.casacolumbia.org/upload/2010/20100922familydinners6.pdf

5. Please support our teens with prayer and through the monthly Life Teen envelope. Our ministry of leading teens closer to Christ can't be accomplished without your help and generosity!

St. Basil Life Teen Parent News - August 2010 Edition

noreply@blogger.com (St. Basil Parent News) — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 20:29:00 +0000

1. Life Teen last month

Catholic Heart Workcamp was July 18-23. It was one of the best weeks of the year with the service, fun, and prayer. Sign up your high schooler soon next year! Special thanks to our adult chaperones -- we couldn't have done it without your generosity.
We wrapped up our fourth and final Ultimate Frisbee match against the youth group from St. Albert the Great parish. The series is tied 2-2. We'll have to wait until next summer to crown a winner!
Steubenville Youth Conference. We teamed up with St. Michael's and took 35 people to this retreat with over 2,000 high schoolers! This is a truly transformative weekend each year and you must sign up your son or daughter early. Spots fill quickly.

2. Life Teen this month

Girls' Night Out - August 28th. $5 gets you an all-nighter full of gourmet delicacies, games, and one-of-a-kind fellowship with the best girls around. 8 pm - 8 am.
Guys' Night Out - August 28th. $5 gets you an all-nighter full of chicken wings, pizza, video games, bball, and dodgeball. 8 pm - 8 am.
Every Wednesday night, all high schoolers are invited to dive deeper into the ultimate issues of life. In the Annex, 7:30-8:30 p.m., we view the world through a Catholic lens and build strong relationships in this intimate small group setting.
World Youth Day in Madrid, Spain in August 2011! $2,299 for a teen or young adult to go. Family prices are even better if parents want to be chaperones. See the Pope, be with 1 million other Catholics! Sign up at www.basilteen.com.

3. A few victories for God - God is winning, one victory at a time.

We've had teens who were drinking tell us that they stopped and
are resisting the temptation because they see that it makes them a
different person, and they want to be pure.
On every retreat we have had, the one part that always gets the highest ratings when we conduct surveys is the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
At the FEST, 13 of our teenagers went in together to Eucharistic Adoration to pray before adore Jesus truly present in the Blessed Sacrament.

4. Parent website of the month - 1 in 5 High School Students Abuses Prescription Drugs! http://health.foxnews.mobi/quickPage.html?page=23956&external=309992.proteus.fma

5. Please support our teens with prayer and through the monthly Life Teen envelope. Our ministry of leading teens closer to Christ can't be accomplished without your help and generosity!

St. Basil Life Teen Parent News - June Edition

noreply@blogger.com (St. Basil Life Teen Parent News) — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 19:35:00 +0000

1. Life Teen last month

On May 2nd, our final life night of the semester previewed our summer events and wished our seniors farewell. Oooh baby, baby it's wild world.
We had a welcome night for our 8th graders to welcome them into the Life Teen family. They can attend all of our summer activities in the run up to high school.

2. Life Teen this month

Servants 4 Christ - Our new service project is very cheap, and serves our local community. Based out of St. Basil's, and only lasting 4 days, this service trip is a great fit for our high schoolers. Serving the people of Cleveland during the day, and coming back to St. Basil's for fun and retreat activities at night is a sure recipe for a powerful encounter with the heart of our faith. Dates are June 27-30, Sunday-Wednesday. We need chaperones for this too! Email Tommy at tdome@basilthegreat.org
Sign up for Catholic Heart Workcamp. July 18-23. A week of service, fun, prayer, and liturgy. This is the best week of the summer for our teens. Sign up soon. We need adults chaperones, as well, and they go for FREE! www.basilteen.com
Every Wednesday night, all high schoolers are invited to dive deeper into the ultimate issues of life. In the Annex, 7:30-8:30 p.m., we view the world through a Catholic lens and build strong relationships in this intimate small group setting.
Your high schooler should join us at St. Basil's for Ultimate Frisbee as we take on youth groups from other Catholic Churches. The dates for this summer are June 22, July 20, and August 3, all at 7 p.m. Make sure they wear white because we're the home team.
Nine Core members are traveling to Arizona this month for the annual Life Teen convention, retreat, and training workshop. Your teens deserve the best adult leaders!
World Youth Day in Madrid Spain! Prices can't be beat due to the generosity of our parishioners. $2,299 for a teen or young adult to go. Family prices are even better if you parents want to be chaperones. An unforgettable trip is in store -- seeing the Pope, being with 1 million other Catholics -- this pilgrimage will be one your teen and/or whole family will never forget! Sign up at www.basilteen.com.

3. A few victories for God - God is winning, one victory at a time.

After compiling our stats for this past year, we had 455 teenagers attend at least one life night!
We also have over 250 different teenagers who attended 6 or more life nights!
One of our Core members related to me that through the bonds of friendship formed at Life Teen, teenagers are helping each other to be pure by reminding them to dress modestly and helping them realize that God defines their worth, not the world
around them.
We had over 30 adults and parents help with the Core Support Hospitality ministry, which includes cooking, serving, and cleaning up the food for every life night, week in and week out. We're always looking for new folks to get involved in this easy yet crucial ministry!

4. Parent website of the month - Is the TV show Glee appropriate for tweens? Here is an article discussing this question. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/05/25/1645878/is-tvs-glee-appropriate-for-tweens.html

5. Please support our teens with prayer and through the monthly Life Teen envelope. Our ministry of leading teens closer to Christ can't be accomplished without your help and generosity!

St. Basil Life Teen Parent News - April Edition

noreply@blogger.com (St. Basil Life Teen Parent News) — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 17:50:00 +0000

1. Life Teen last month

150 people on Retreat! We had a retreat on the power of the Mass. We discussed the Eucharist, the unappreciated gifts that we personally have, the unappreciated gifts in the Mass, and the universal call to holiness. We had 10 priests hear confessions, and we adored Jesus truly present in the Eucharist. Thanks for your prayers!
Dodgeball Tournament - Over 70 people came to our Life Teen Lenten Dodgeball Tournament Fundraiser for our mission parish in Honduras. We raised several hundred dollars and we all got hit with dodgeballs. Students from at least 5 different high schools participated.
The week after our retreat, we had an XLT Praise & Worship Service with Eucharistic Adoration and guest speaker Fr. Michael Gurnick, the vocation director for the diocese.
We had a social life night to blow off some steam to round out the month.
Our teenagers put on the Living Stations on Good Friday to a packed Church. They did a great job bringing Jesus' Passion to life so we could remember the great sacrifice He made for us -- you and me.

2. Life Teen this month

Sign up for Steubenville! Have your teenager sign up for this powerful weekend retreat July 9-11 in Steubenville. Over 2,000 students come every year to this amazing experience. Our teens who go always come back and become leaders in the church. Spots are very limited! Sign up at www.basilteen.com
World Youth Day in Madrid Spain! Prices can't be beat due to the generosity of our parishioners. $2,299 for a teen or young adult to go. Family prices are even better if you parents want to be chaperones. An unforgettable trip is in store -- seeing the Pope, being with 1 million other Catholics -- this pilgrimage will be one your teen and/or whole family will never forget!
Sign up for Catholic Heart Workcamp. July 18-23. A week of service, fun, prayer, and liturgy. This is the best week of the summer for our teens. Sign up soon. One third of the spots are already gone. www.basilteen.com
Servants 4 Christ - Our new service project is very cheap, and serves our local community. Based out of St. Basil's, and only lasting 4 days, this service trip is a great fit for our high schoolers. Serving the people of Cleveland during the day, and coming back to St. Basil's for fun and retreat activities at night is a sure recipe for a powerful encounter with the heart of our faith. Dates are June 27-30, Sunday-Wednesday. We need chaperones for this too! Email Tommy at tdome@basilthegreat.org
In April, we have life nights on Justice at home (4/11), Stress/Anxiety/Depression (4/18), and Poverty (4/25). Our last life night of the semester is May 2nd, our last social where we review the year, preview the summer, and wish our seniors luck.

3. A few victories for God - God is winning, one victory at a time. Here are some of the resolutions our teens made after a retreat:

"I could start by not lying to my parents."
"Confess sins."
"Follow the 10 Commandments."
"Chase Jesus!"
"Show forgiveness to anyone who has wronged me. And humble myself."
"Pray to God everyday and ask Him to help me grow in my relationship with Him."
"Stop fighting with family."
"Don't take God for granted."
"Have good friends that you can confide in and trust"
"Chastity!"

4. Parent website of the month - Do you have a teenage girl? See the results of this study that find the early predictors of girls' adolescent sexual activity. http://www.girlsinc.org/resources/girls-shape-the-future.html

5. Please support our teens with prayer and through the monthly Life Teen envelope. Our ministry of leading teens closer to Christ can't be accomplished without your help and generosity!

St. Basil Life Teen Parent News -- February Edition

noreply@blogger.com (St. Basil Life Teen Parent News) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 20:06:00 +0000

1. Life Teen last month

We rushed to plan a Life Night on the Haiti Earthquake. We responded to common questions about God's role in events like this, donated the money we would have spend on food/drinks to a charity working in Haiti, and prayed a rosary for everyone affected.
We took 22 people to the March for Life in Washington, D.C. It was a great trip and unforgettable experience. Encourage your teenager to come with us next year to join hundreds of thousands of people standing up for unborn babies with no voices.
We had a life night on the foundation of Social Justice - The Greatest Commandment -- to love God with all we have and love our neighbor as ourselves. Since we have to love God first, this night included a little bit of loving Him in Eucharistic Adoration.

2. Life Teen this month

NO LIFE NIGHT on Feb. 14th. Spend time with loved ones.
Life Teen Fall Retreat is March 5-7. Sign up your teen soon for this powerful weekend before the application price goes up with a late fee. www.basilteen.com
2/21 - Life Night introducing our Lenten Service Project for the parish mission in Honduras
2/28 - Life Night on Alcohol and drugs (see the parent website of the month below)

3. A few victories for God - God is winning, one victory at a time.

We have a teen who couldn't attend our last retreat telling all of her friends how great retreats are and encouraging them to go.
A teen girl told one of our Core members that she came up to the church one morning and prayed a rosary all alone by herself for the first time ever.
When 24 of our teens spent some of their holiday weekends to serve and feed the homeless in Cleveland, several of them took the gloves off their own hands and gave them to people, all without show.

4. Parent website of the month - http://timetoact.drugfree.org/ If you suspect or know your child is using drugs or alcohol, it is important to take action. The Partnership for a Drug Free America has created a new Web resource called Time To Act. The site walks parents through the steps to identifying whether their child is using, and what to do next.

5. Please support our teens with prayer and through the monthly Life Teen envelope. Our ministry of leading teens closer to Christ can't be accomplished without your help and generosity!

St. Basil Life Teen Parent News - January Edition

noreply@blogger.com (St. Basil Life Teen Parent News) — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 20:35:00 +0000

1. Life Teen last month

We took another crew out to do the Labre project on Dec. 18th to give food and much-needed companionship to the hungry during the Christmas season.
Our Young Adult Retreat had almost 40 attendees. It was a very blessed weekend, and everyone left refreshed to return to work or college with a renewed focus on eliminating the superfluities to let God back in our lives.
Our life nights summarized the semester on morality, reviewing important lessons on the commandments, chastity, and dating.

2. Life Teen this month

The March for Life is a great opportunity to see the universal Church, ecumenism, faithful citizenship, and social justice all at work at the same time. January 21-22 we'll be taking a bus to D.C. for the annual Pro-Life Rally. It is an unforgettable experience. More info at www.basilteen.com.
1/10 Life Night on Vocations
1/17 Life Night introducing Social Justice
1/27 Life Night on Drinking and Drugs
1/31 Life Night on Social Teachings of the Church
Our weekly teen discussion group has moved locations to the newly renovated Annex, which is the small ranch home in the corner of St. Basil's property. It is clearly labeled "Annex", and the time is still the same from 7:30-8:30 p.m.

3. A few victories for God - God is winning, one victory at a time.

More and more teenagers are joining religiously themed causes on facebook.
A teen wanted to share her joy for God with others so she volunteered to do St. Basil’s door-to-door campaign. She was by far the youngest person volunteering and had incredible things to say about what Life Teen and St. Basil’s has done for her over the past 2 years.
At the 5:30 Life Teen mass on Sundays you will see the participation of the teenagers through lectoring, ushering, greeting, and being extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion.

4. Parent website of the month - Watch this video and see how you can help protect your home and family from the dangers that await them with a few clicks of the mouse.

5. Please support our teens with prayer and through the monthly Life Teen envelope. Our ministry of leading teens closer to Christ can't be accomplished without your help and generosity!

St. Basil Life Teen Parent News -- December Edition

noreply@blogger.com (St. Basil Life Teen Parent News) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 22:51:00 +0000

1. Life Teen last month

105 teens & Core members went on retreat focusing on our Identity as beloved children of God, and examining our earthly and heavenly desires. It was an amazing weekend and God further turned the hearts of our young people toward Himself.
Nov. 15th we had over 100 people at our XLT Praise and Worship session with music, a priest guest speaker, and Eucharistic Adoration. When we say we are leading teens closer to Christ, we mean it literally. Just 30 minutes after XLT ended, Facebook was loaded with remarks about how awesome the music and prayer was.
On Nov. 29th we had a life night discussing the main points of the first 3 Commandments.
The Friday after Thanksgiving, while many were shopping, 15 teens and Core prepared & administered food for the homeless on the streets of Cleveland through the St. Benedict Joseph Labre project, in conjunction with JCU.

2. Life Teen this month

Your very own Life Night! A special Life Night for parents will follow the 5:30 Mass on Sunday Dec. 6th. While parental participation isn't a requirement for Confirmation, your attendance is strongly encouraged for this separate but simultaneous Life Night. We'll discuss Commandments 4, 5, and 8, and how they affect our family relationships. It's a great opportunity for parents to share practical advice on how they build “The Domestic Church” and maintain or build strong faith relationships with your teenager. Meet in the Parish Center, 6:30-8 p.m.
We will be taking another crew out to do the Labre project on Dec. 18th to not only give food to the hungry, but give them much-needed companionship during the Christmas season.
Young Adult Retreat for your college student or young adult - check www.basilteen.com for details.
NO LIFE NIGHTS on Dec. 20th or 27th.

3. A few victories for God - God is winning, one victory at a time.

A teen told one of our Core members that she wishes she could have retreat weekends more often because of how she felt during the spring retreat.
One of our recent high school graduates chose to spend Halloween weekend (a weekend that is usually the biggest party weekend of the year) on a retreat with 30 other college students talking about God, their faith, and how to remain pure in college.
While talking to a teen at a life night who had a long post-retreat week, she said that the only reason she looks forward to the end of a weekend is because that means she gets to come to Life Teen and spend time with God and her friends in one spot.

4. Parent website of the month - www.fathersforgood.org Making the most out of anniversaries, tips on how to pray with your child, insights on your dating habits for your child, videos, books, and many resources to help you meet the challenges of fatherhood.

5. Please support our teens with prayer and through the monthly Life Teen envelope. Our ministry of leading teens closer to Christ can't be accomplished without your help and generosity!

St. Basil Life Teen Parent News - November Edition

noreply@blogger.com (St. Basil Life Teen Parent News) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:45:00 +0000

1. Life Teen last month

We had over 200 teens have a blast at our annual hayride.
We had a life night on Moral Relativism, which the Pope has called one of the greatest struggles of our time. We combatted the idea "what's okay or true for you might not be true for me", and the popular line, "Don't impose your values on me". Showing that there are things that are objectively right and wrong had to serve as a basis for this semester on Morality.
One of our Social Justice life nights gave the teens the opportunity to sign up for local service projects, including feeding the homeless of Cleveland.
Our life night on Dating gave a good balanced view of the subject, showing the pros, cons, and delineating Catholic principles with which to approach dating if one chooses to do so in high school.

2. Life Teen this month

Our weekend retreat is this weekend! Please pray for our teenagers as God makes every effort to break into their lives.
Nov. 15th the life night will be an XLT Praise and Worship session with music, a speaker, and Eucharistic Adoration. When we say we are leading teens closer to Christ, we mean it literally.
On Nov. 29th we'll have a life night discussing the main points of the first 3 Commandments.

3. A few victories for God - God is winning, one victory at a time.

While on our ASP summer service project, two teen girls vocalized that they're discerning a call to religious life.
One of our Core members told a couple teen guys that they should attend the prayer service for seminarians, and was excited to see one of them sitting right up front when the service began. The Core member spoke to him for a while afterwards about being open to what God is calling him to do with his life.

4. Parent website of the month - This month's website is a link to a new book about being a Catholic parent. Click here to read about it. If the link doesn't work correctly, go to lifeteen.com and click on "store". Visit the book section and look for "Rocking the Cradle Catholic".

5. Please support our teens with prayer and through the monthly Life Teen envelope. Our ministry of leading teens closer to Christ can't be accomplished without your help and generosity!

St. Basil Life Teen Parent News - October Edition

noreply@blogger.com (St. Basil Life Teen Parent News) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 03:02:00 +0000

1. Life Teen last month

Our Life Teen Kickoff had over 250 teenagers! Wow. That's a lot of pizza, (please see number 5 below--hint hint). We're very blessed at this parish to have such a vibrant youth ministry.
Our Confirmation Information meeting for Parents and teens was on Sept. 23rd. If you missed it, please email BasilLifeTeen@gmail.com.
We had over 60 parents come to the parent talk given by guest speaker Patty Schneier on Oct. 4th. For the Life Night, Patty spoke about chastity and Theology of the Body to over 300 teens, including visitors from 4 different area parishes! visit www.pattyschneier.com.

2. Life Teen this month

FALL RETREAT APPLICATIONS ARE UP!! Retreat is Nov. 6-8th. Sign up now before space runs out. Visit www.basilteen.com to download the app.
Hayride Life Night October 11th - with EXTENDED TIME. The Life Night at Luther Farms runs from 7-8:30 p.m. Transportation not provided. Directions and details at www.basilteen.com
We will be having Life Nights on Moral Relativism (Oct. 18) and Social Justice including the 7th and 10th Commandments (Oct. 25).

3. A few victories for God - God is winning, one victory at a time.

A teen told me they started coming to Life Nights for the food, but now come to learn more about God and their Catholic faith.
During Mass some teens were talking. Their own classmates told them to be quiet.

4. Parent website of the month - This month's website isn't a website at all, but it is an important article about how prescription pills are the new drug of choice among young people. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2009/07/29/hearstmaghealth381323.DTL

5. Please support our teens with prayer and through the monthly Life Teen envelope. Our ministry of leading teens closer to Christ can't be accomplished without your help and generosity!

St. Basil Life Teen Parent News - September Edition

noreply@blogger.com (St. Basil Parent News) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 21:47:00 +0000

1. Life Teen last month

The FEST - Many of our teens joined thousands of other Catholics for free games, activities, and a Mass at night with fireworks following. A great time for the whole family!
Guys' Night Out - We had 45 guys sleepover at the Church for video games, bball, and high tech hijinks. It was a great time to get to know one another before the school year.
Girls' Night Out - We had 25 girls stay overnight in the FLC bonding in Christian fellowship and sharing thoughts on every issue under the sun.
Our Core members spent a day on retreat - praying, sharing faith stories, affirming one another, and learning how to deal with teens who are grieving the loss of a loved one.

2. Life Teen this month

September 27th - Life Teen Fall Kickoff. Weekly Life Nights start then, and will be every Sunday, 6:30-8 pm. Check http://www.basilteen.com/ for full schedule of Life Teen activities.
September 23rd - Confirmation Information meeting for Parents and teens looking to be Confirmed. 7-8:30 p.m.
***October 4th - Parents of Teens, Get Real! A message of hope for parents who struggle for the right words regarding love, life, dating, sex, & marriage. Come hear guest speaker Patty Schneier offer practical tips & suggestions to help parents discuss True Love & the many counterfeits in our culture. You'll be equipped to be pro-active, and be the “first teacher” of their child about the important moral issues teens face. Patty will talk to the teenagers about many of the same issues after the Life Teen Mass for the Life Night. You don't want your teens to miss the teen talk!
For Parents: Sunday, Oct. 4th, 4-5 p.m.
For Teens: Sunday, Oct. 4th, 6:30-8 pm.

3. A few victories for God

One of our Core members saw a teen who acts like he could care less post something on his Facebook about having fun at a Life Night. Even when his friends made fun of him, he defended going to church.
One teen has started to volunteer 4 hours/one Saturday per month at a charity of particular interest and is actively inviting friends to join her in her efforts.

4. Parent website of the month - In some of the research I do to learn more about teenagers, I found some studies that really showed quite clearly how much teenagers go with the crowd. For example, if all of a teen's peers are sexually active and those peers never go to church, then there's a 96% chance that teen is sexually active too. On the other hand, when all of a teen's peers are NOT sexually active and those same peers DO worship weekly, there is only a 3% chance that teen will be sexually active. So whether a teen is good or bad, they do what their friends do. Only 3-4% of teenagers go against the stream, whether the stream leads to God or away from God. Click the picture below to see the data.

5. Please support our teens with prayer and through the monthly Life Teen envelope. Our ministry of leading teens closer to Christ can't be accomplished without your help and generosity!

St. Basil Life Teen Parent News - August Edition

noreply@blogger.com (St. Basil Parent News) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 18:16:00 +0000

1. Life Teen last month

50 go to Appalachia to serve the poor - We went to Kentucky for the Appalachia Service Project (ASP) to make homes warmer, safer, and drier for the poor residents of Breathitt County. It was a powerful experience
40 go to Pittsburgh to serve the poor - We went to Pittsburgh for Catholic Heart Workcamp (CHWC) to work at shelters and the homes of the elderly and disabled. It was a transformative encounter with God for all.
Our weekly Wednesday Prayer Group discussed the source and summit of the Christian life - the Eucharist.

2. Life Teen this month

The FEST - August 9th in Wickliffe. Join thousands of other Catholics for free games, activities, and a Mass at night with fireworks following.
Guys' Night Out - August 15th - sleepover at the Church for video games, bball, and high tech hijinks for high school guys only - $5 gets you all you can eat.
Girls' Night Out - August 22nd - sleepover at the Church with movies, chocolate fondue, games, and no guys! No cost.

3. A few victories for God

While on ASP, two teens vocalized that they're discerning a call to religious life.
The girls on ASP prayed a Rosary together at night during the trip before bed.

4. Parent website of the month - www.foryourmarriage.org - The U.S. Bishops made a website just to improve marriages. Find tips, thoughtful actions, and ways to improve one of the most influential parts of your teenager's life. Why would a teenager want to get married if all they see are unhappy married couples?

5. Please support our teens with prayer and through the monthly Life Teen envelope. Our ministry of leading teens closer to Christ can't be accomplished without your help and generosity!

St. Basil Life Teen Parent News - July Edition

noreply@blogger.com (St. Basil Life Teen Parent News) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:36:00 +0000

1. Life Teen last month

Several Core members, veterans and rookies, traveled to Arizona for the national Life Teen Conference. They attended workshops on liturgy, leading small groups, engaging upperclassmen, recruiting volunteers, and more. They also attended Reconciliation and were inspired by the Holy Spirit to come back to Brecksville to lead teenagers closer to Christ.
Our weekly Wednesday Prayer Group prayed in thanksgiving to God for everything we asked for and received but forgot to thank Him for. We also discussed a wide range of other issues, including Heaven, miracles, and the question, "Are you a better person than you were a year ago? -- Provide examples."
Steubenville - We teamed up with St. Michael's church to take 30 people to the Franciscan University of Steubenville for a weekend retreat. 2,000 teens were there. Inspiring talks, Mass, and Eucharistic Adoration all made this a powerful encounter with the Living God. The teens who go on this trip often become the leaders in Life Teen.

2. Life Teen this month

Appalachia Service Project (ASP) - July 5-11 - We are taking 35 teens and 14 chaperones to Kentucky to make homes warmer, safer, and drier for the poor residents of Breathitt County. Pray for our teens as they follow the example of Christ Himself.
July 19th - Sports Night after the Life Teen Mass, 6:30-8 pm. All high schoolers welcome.
Catholic Heart Workcamp (CHWC) - July 19-24 - We're taking 32 teens and 7 chaperones to serve the poor of Pittsburgh by working at shelters and the homes of the elderly and disabled. Pray also for these disciples as they witness to the love of Christ.

3. A few victories for God

3 Core members members picked up and drove to Steubenville one Saturday for a Festival of Praise and Worship
Working with the teens has given one of our Core members a lot of hope in a world that appears hopeless
A teen told one of our Core members that LT is the thing she looks forward to most out of the week

4. Parent website of the month - www.usccb.org - The U.S. Bishops website. Get Catholic news, learn the Church's position on Euthanasia, Stem cells, Capital punishment, Cloning, Contraception, Social Justice, and more. Don't settle for someone else's interpretation of what the Church thinks -- Go straight to the source! Find the daily readings, the whole Bible and Catechism online, and listen to Catholic podcasts.

5. Please support our teens with prayer and through the monthly Life Teen envelope. Our ministry of leading teens closer to Christ can't be accomplished without your help and generosity!

St. Basil Life Teen Parent News - June Edition

noreply@blogger.com (St. Basil Life Teen Parent News) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 21:37:00 +0000

1. Life Teen last month

Senior Sendoff - We wished our seniors well individually, showed pictures of them through the years, and gave them a wall cross with Scripture on it for their dorm room. Then, we played outside.
Sports Night - Although we are not running life nights throughout the summer, we are still getting together for events like Sports Nights (just playing games with good friends), and of course Prayer Group (PG) runs every Wednesday all year round.
At our weekly Prayer Group/Bible Study/Current Event Discussion we talked about President Obama at ND, Same-sex marriage, and research revealing that above $50,000/year, money has no positive effect on happiness.
We took 25 adults and teens to see a docudrama, The Human Experience, at its only showing in Cleveland. This winner of 18 film festival awards was made by several young Catholic men who search to answer the questions: Who am I? Who is Man? Why do we search for meaning? They spent a week living with the homeless in NYC, went to an orphanage for disabled children in Peru, and visited a leper colony in Ghana. It was a powerful film.
8th Grade Welcome - We welcomed the incoming freshmen and their parents into Life Teen. The students had a life night and learned about the kinds of topics and activities we do in LT, and parents learned about what LT is, how it runs, the benefits, and how they can get involved to help the ministry grow to lead teenagers closer to Christ. INCOMING FRESHMEN ARE INVITED TO ALL LIFE TEEN SUMMER ACTIVITIES - from Sports Nights to PG to Guys' and Girls' Nights Out, The FEST, etc.

2. Life Teen this month

Several Core members are heading out to Arizona to receive training at the national Life Teen Conference. They will attend practical workshops, but also be renewed and refreshed in the Spirit by getting a vision of what Youth Ministry can and should be.
Prayer Group every Wednesday, 7:30-8:30 p.m. in the parish office.
Steubenville - We'll be taking a dozen teenagers to a weekend-long retreat at the Franciscan University of Steubenville. Hearts get transformed for God. This retreat's spots fill up quickly, so get your teen in soon next year. The teens who go on this usually become our teen leaders.

3. A Few Victories for God

A teen told one of our Core members that the retreat was the first time she realized the importance of having a relationship with God.
After fighting and losing friendship, two teens forgave each other during the girl breakout at the retreat and are now friends again.

4. Parent Website of the month - http://www.cpyu.org/
The Center for Parent/Youth Understanding is a nonprofit org committed to building strong families by serving to bridge the cultural-generational gap between parents and teenagers. Learn about the #1 song, the #1 movie, the #1 book, and the #1 video games your teens are interested in. It helps keep parents up to date on the latest youth culture news and information. Parents can now understand teenagers and their culture so that they will be better equipped to help them navigate the challenging world of adolescence. Who are the media role models your teens are looking up to?

5. Please support our teens with prayer and through the monthly Life Teen envelope. Our ministry of leading teens closer to Christ can't be accomplished without your help and generosity!

St. Basil Life Teen Parent News - May Edition

noreply@blogger.com (St. Basil Life Teen Parent News) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 19:48:00 +0000

1. Life Teen last month

We had a life night on the four marks of the Church - One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic. We brought meaning to these terms we say every Sunday in the Nicene Creed at Mass.
Our life night on hypocrisy showed the humanity and divinity of the Church. While people in the Church will always be sinners (which is why we need the Church), the Church will never lead us astray when it comes to faith or morals.
Our pro-life Life Night was fashioned around a few clips from the recent movie Horton Hears a Who, the Dr. Seuss classic. The points came across strong that "a person is a person, no matter how small." We prayed for the unborn and encouraged the teens to be loving and supportive of anyone who has had an abortion in the past to bring them back to reconciliation with the Church.
On Good Friday over 60 of our high schoolers put on the Living Stations of the Cross for a packed church. If you've never seen it, come next year, but come early if you want a seat.
One of our weekly Wednesday Prayer Group meetings focused on thinking through the issue of same-sex marriage.
Confirmation for our 10th graders took place on April 24th with Bishop A. James Quinn. There were 134 teens and 5 adults sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit.

2. Life Teen this month

Our last life night of the semester is on May 3rd, which includes wishing our seniors farewell. We will have many summer activities planned, so watch http://www.basilteen.com/ for the details.
A police officer will speak at St. Basil's on May 5th at 6 p.m. to parents regarding the dangers of hosting events with underage drinking.
Welcome graduating 8th graders and parents! We will have a Life Night just for 8th graders on May 31st, after the LT Mass, 6:30-8 p.m. Our incoming freshmen will be welcomed into the Life Teen family in the Parish Center, while the parents can learn all about the program in the Family Life Center.
Our weekly Prayer Group and Bible Study will continue throughout the summer, every Wednesday, 7:30-8:30 p.m.

3. A few victories for God

A memorable event on Spring retreat: the girls got together and prayed the rosary before bed.
"A teen invited me to the Living Stations on Good Friday, and really wanted me to come, not because they are in it, but because its such a powerful reenactment of what Jesus went through and they wanted me to experience it." - LT Core member
The number of teens who attend Wednesday night Mass is growing. More and more are showing up early for Eucharistic Adoration.

4. Parent Website of the month
http://www.basilteen.com/ - we made it easier to get to our main Life Teen site. It's shorter and easier to remember - basilteen.com - find ways to get involved, learn about service projects, download permission slips, and find the calendar of events.

5. Please support our teens with prayer and through the monthly Life Teen envelope. Our ministry of leading teens closer to Christ can't be accomplished without your help and generosity!

St. Basil Life Teen Parent News - April Edition

noreply@blogger.com (St. Basil Life Teen Parent News) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 20:10:00 +0000

1. What is this blog?

This is a place for parents and other interested parishioners to stay up to date about what is going on in Life Teen at St. Basil's. Find out what your teen is up to, what they are learning, and where you can get involved. We hope this will give you the opportunity to get more involved in the faith life of your teenager, and perhaps spark good discussions. We will also provide resources to you for parenting and your own faith development. As always, the most life teen information can be found on our life teen website, www.basilthegreat.org/lifeteen.

2. Life Teen last month

Our weekend retreat had 125 teens. It was focused on St. Paul's conversion and journey. We discussed our own faith journeys, discussed the role of suffering in the Christian life, went to Reconciliation, and had a ton of fun.

We had a life night on the Teaching Authority of the Catholic Church - although some of the lower levels of church teaching can change, some things never will. The Church is our steady rock through all the ages, especially amidst growing moral relativism.

We had a life night on Euthanasia - We hold highly the dignity of every human life. It is immoral to purposely take the life of another person.

We had a social which was an improv comedy night to build community and form friendships. Many teens today have friends who do not share their values, so it is important to give them that support network by establishing friendships at church.

3. Life Teen this month

We will have life nights on the four marks of the Church, the humanity and divinity of the Church, and a pro-life life night.

There will be no Life Teen Mass or life night on Easter Sunday

Confirmation is April 24th.

Our last life night is on May 3rd.
An officer will speak at St. Basil's on May 5th at 6 p.m. to parents regarding the dangers of hosting events with underage drinking.

4. A few victories for God

Things our teens are doing for Lent, in their own words: "praying before meals, giving up TV, giving up the internet, giving up complaining, praying for 15 minutes every day, working on my lack of discipline, spending more time with my sister, be nicer to mom & dad, take down the wall I have built up inside of me out of fear."

5. Parent Website of the month

www.basilthegreat.org/lifeteen - our main Life Teen site with detailed info on all that we do. Find ways to get involved, learn about service projects, download permission slips, and find the calendar of events