Goal of this Life Night

The goal of this Life Night is to give clarity to the confusion that is integral to stereotypical rites of passage that are glorified in teen years: rebelling, drinking, disobeying parents, losing virginity, etc. After leaving this Life Night, teens will feel more prepared to face life challenges.

About this Life Night

This night is based on the Pantelion Films and Lionsgate film Girl in Progress, opening in theaters May 11, 2012. Use this resource as a full Life Night to follow up after watching the movie, or use only the questions in the Break for discussion with a group of teens after seeing the movie.

Find Girl in Progress in theaters near you: buzzplant.com/theaters

For group sales and special rates: 888-319-7866

Parental Notice

Please check with policies at your parish and within your diocese about bringing teenagers to a PG-13 movie. Local policies might advise you to speak with teenager’s parents about the subject matter of the film and acquire a signed permission slip. (Note: we do not recommend bringing middle schoolers to this film.)

The film Girl in Progress is not a Disney movie. It is a relevant and raw story of
a high school girl who tries to grow up without the guidance and support of her family. The film does reveal the futility of “going with the flow,” but only after Ansiedad flirts with different rites of passage. Because of mature thematic elements, mild sexual content including crude references, and drinking, the movie has PG-13 rating. These are typical subjects in teen movies, however, the difference here is that this film doesn’t glorify these things, it shows the consequences.

The goal for this night is to understand and appreciate the freedom to worship God. This night will also look at the places in the world where this freedom is threatened.

About this Night:

This Life Night explores the fundamental human right to seek truth, express faith and worship God. This is a freedom that many teens take for granted. Our culture can often threaten religious freedom in subtle ways, mocking or silencing religious expression. This night will challenge the teens to appreciate and use the freedoms given to them by God. The night starts with a mock “raid” of the Life Night, kicking them out because they are talking about Christ. This will lead into a large group discussion and teaching on religious freedom, both here and in other countries. The Break is a time for the teens to reflect and pray on how they freely choose to love and serve God. Finally, the night will end with a time of worship led by the music minister.

The goal of this night helps the teens understand that the common good of society requires looking outside of their needs and seeing the needs of the larger community.

About this Night:

This Life Night is the last night of the social justice semester. The night seeks to help the teens understand that the common good of society comes from active participation within the community. This night will help the teens look beyond their own needs and wants to the needs and wants of their greater community. The Life Night begins with a quick game challenging the teens to work together to complete a 16-legged race. After the game, the teaching will focus on how being an active member of a community helps promote the common good. After a short time in small groups, the night will close by focusing on the need for the Eucharist to be the source and summit of our service to others. The teens will spend time in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament offering their fears and hesitations about becoming a fully active part of the community to the Lord.

The goal of this Life Night is to help the teens break open Life Teen’s 2012 theme, “Radiant Joy.” This night looks at the origin of joy as a gift from God and how this fruit of the Spirit must be shared.

About this night

Life Teen’s 2012 theme is Radiant Joy. Through this theme the Life Teen family seeks to understand what it means to live a life filled with joy. This Life Night helps break open this theme for teens. It begins with a quick game that involves guessing which smiles belong to Core Members, priests, or teens. A clip from the movie The Muppets will transition the night from the game into the teaching. The teaching for this night will focus on the difference between happiness and joy, as well as how living a life filled with the Holy Spirit and completely dependent on God bring true and lasting joy. After small groups, the Life Night will end with a time of Eucharistic Adoration and a reflection on Mary’s example of joy found in her Magnificat.

The goal of this night is to introduce the semester on social justice by focusing on the social nature of humanity and how our nature reflects the nature of God. This night will help the teens understand how our faith is connected to the greater community.

About this Night:

This is the first night of the semester on social justice. Throughout the semester, we will explore how we are called to live in true community with others – our neighbors. This Life Night will set the stage for the rest of the nights. The night begins with a forced isolation – no talking, no eye contact, nothing. The skit that follows is a humorous look at the isolation that can happen through so-called social media. The teaching will highlight the Trinitarian nature of God and how we are created in that nature, meaning we are made for community. The Break will
give the teens a chance to build community and discuss Scripture in small groups. Finally, this night will close by giving each teen a prayer partner for the semester and interceding for others in prayer.

The goal for this night is to understand Jesus’ teaching regarding wealth and materialism. This night will also help the teens guard against attitudes of materialism in their own lives.

About this Night:

More and more teens have to compete to be the best and most successful at school, sports, and even their jobs. This Life Night seeks to help the teens understand the role or wealth, materialism, and setting priorities. This Life Night begins with a fun game to see which teen can collect the most money through selling their talents. The teaching for this night will help teens focus on simplifying their lives to make room for Christ. The teaching will also look at the poor as an example of simplicity and faith. After a time of small group, the night will end with a time of prayer challenging the teens to give up one or two possessions or talents for the service of Christ.

The goal of this night is to explore the connection between the Church’s social justice teaching and government policy and laws. In particular, this night will explore some of the current events (such as Immigration) and how the teens can get involved on a larger scale.

About this Night:

This night will require very careful and non-bias preparation on behalf of the youth minister and the Core Team. It is essential to point out that the Church does not endorse any political party but rather tries to help any and every government focus on the common good of all citizens. Christ makes it abundantly clear that proper government is necessary to enhance the development of every human person. A government who takes care of its citizens can enhance the recognition of the dignity of the human person.

The Life Night begins with a take off of the classic game “Simon Says.” After the game, the teaching for the night will help the teens understand how governments should always work to promote the common good of the society. During the Break, the teens will discuss different local laws and how they affect the community. The night closes by praying for current, local government officials.

The goal of this Life Night is to help the teens understand the inherent dignity in every person. This night will also look at the rights and responsibilities that come along with our dignity.

About this Night:

As members of a community we are charged with upholding and protecting the dignity of all persons. This Life Night seeks to help the teens not only see their own dignity, but also the dignity of every member of the community. The night begins with a competition between groups to see who can build the best, most protected fort. After the competition, the teaching will focus on the dignity found in every person and the responsibility each member of the community has to uphold and protect that dignity. The Break will give the teens an opportunity to write a letter
of affirmation to someone they struggle to see Christ in. The night will end with a time of prayer that will help the teens recognize their own worth and dignity.

The goal of this Life Night is to help the teens understand the need for friendships. This Life Night will also give the teens an opportunity to evaluate how good a friend they are to those they call friends. Finally, this Life Night will help the teens understand the need for solid, Christ-centered friendships.

About this night

Some of the most important and most influential people in a teen’s life are his or her friends. This night seeks to help the teens understand the necessity of Christian friendship. The Life Night begins with a competition to see who can remember the most phone numbers of their friends. The teaching for this night stresses the importance of Christ-centered friendships and offers suggestions on how to be a better friend. After a short time of small group discussion, the teens will read Sirach 6:5-17 and discuss the specific ways they can be a better friend. The night closes with a time of prayer offering up those friends by name who are in need of God’s blessing and help.

The goal of this night is to give the teens an opportunity to get their minds off of finals and relieve stress. This night also seeks to build community through group/ team activities.

About this night

Finals time is a stressful time. The purpose of this night is to not only build community but also help relieve some of the stresses that come with taking finals. The night begins with a little brain food: breakfast. After, teens will either spend the rest of the night playing games or watching a movie. The night will end by praying over the teens for peace and wisdom.