Goal for the Life Night:
The Eucharist is the source and summit of who we are as Catholics. The goal for this night is to show that every movement of the Church points to and flows from the Eucharist. This night invites the whole parish to participate and will challenge them to be a Eucharist-centered community.
Life Night at a Glance:
The Eucharist is not only the heart of the Christian life but also the heart of a parish community. The preparation for this night should begin well in advance. This Life Night is written to take place before the regularly scheduled youth Mass and involves the whole parish community. If needed, the night can be easily adapted to take place after Mass. A few weeks prior to the Life Night make an announcement at all the parish Masses inviting the whole community to Life Night. Be sure to give them all the details—when and where. Inviting the whole parish to Life Night is a great way to show the rest of the community what is happening with the teens of the parish.
This night begins with an upbeat game based on the old Nickelodeon game show Family Double Dare. The game leads into a teaching on the Sacrament of the Eucharist and how our worship is centered on the celebration of the sacrament in the Mass. The community will break up into small groups to discuss how each person as well as the whole parish community can be more Eucharist-centered. After small groups, the youth minister will review the teaching on the Eucharist and emphasize the importance of community. The whole community will then go to Mass together. The night will end with a time of fellowship after Mass.