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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!