High School Youth Activities

St. Bernadette Youth Ministry

FOR HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH Logo

LifeTeen Mass: LifeTeen Mass is held at 6:00 PM Sunday evenings year round, with the exception of the day of the Parish Picnic, Christmas, the weekends on either side of Spring Break and Easter. While our Confirmation Candidates are required to attend Mass regularly, they are free to choose which one they wish to go to. Likewise, everyone is welcome at this Mass: young, old or in between- you don’t need to be a teen! But one thing the teens and their families appreciate is the opportunity for the teens to participate in the Liturgical Ministries such as being a Cantor or Musician, a Lector, an Usher or a Sacristan for the LifeTeen Mass.

High School Formation: High School CCE or Formation, is offered here at St Bernadette in the form of LifeNights that follow the LifeTeen Mass, Confirmation Classes, opportunities for community service, social activities, retreats, access to diocesan youth programs, and what we call ‘Youth Events.’ Youth Events are activities such as ‘Seeds of Hope’ park clean up that gather the youth of St Bernadette’s together to work for the church, the community, and for social justice.

Leadership Opportunities: We have a Youth Board, known as YLT (Youth Leadership Team) that gathers each Wednesday night to plan and carry out activities such as helping with the parish picnic, planning the Junior High socials, and attending conferences on the Diocesan level or for LifeTeen here in Houston and around the country. While all teen Youth Cross

s are invited to participate in such events, the YLT works with the Youth Ministry Office to help make these events happen. The Diocese also offers some leadership opportunities that we participate in such as Y.M.L.F. (Youth Ministry Leadership Formation) and Y.A.C. (Youth Ambassadors for Christ). Y.M.L.F. is two intense retreat weekends at Camp Kappe that allows parish youth to gather with other parish youth from throughout the diocese and work on leadership skills that will benefit them not only in Youth Ministry activities but school activities and life in general. Y.A.C. allows two youth to participate in planning the music, prayers and Liturgies for Diocesan activities such as the Diocesan Youth Conference and the Junior High Rally.

The God Squad: The God Squad is for returning 11th and 12th grade youth who have been confirmed but wish to continue being active in the teen programs. They form their own discussion groups in LifeNight and are encouraged to continue participating in some of the events and social gatherings with the Confirmation candidates. Because they are already confirmed, they are also given the opportunity to participate in their own community service activities that are now open to them as confirmed members of our church community. These activities include teaching CCE, serving as staff on retreats and assisting in discussion groups at LifeNight.

Wednesday Night Socials: WNS is for the high school youth and meets at 7:00 until 9:00 each Wednesday evening for fun and fellowship. All high school youth are invited to attend.

Friday Night Alternative: FNA meets Friday evenings as an alternative to the Friday night party scene for the high school youth. The youth meet for popcorn, cokes and a movie followed by a discussion of the movie from a Christian standpoint. All high school youth are invited to attend.

Community Service Activities: How about Crop Walk? Walk for Diabetes? The Run to Read Fun Run? The annual Lenten Soup Kitchen? We have participated in these activities! How about Bay Area Cleanup? LifeTeen Galveston Beach Cleanup? Ronald McDonald House? Interfaith Caring Ministries? Star of Hope Mission? Casa Juan Diego? City Wide’s Thanksgiving Dinner at the George R. Brown Convention Center? These are all activities our youth participate in as their service hour requirements or sometimes we attend and participate in as a group in the interest of Social Justice.

Youth Conferences: We also participate in conferences aimed at youth that cover a wide variety of experiences and activities. The Diocesan Youth Conference allows our teens to meet with kids from all over the Houston/Galveston metropolitan area and learn from dynamic speakers about our Catholic faith and how to live and share it. LifeTeen conferences (affectionately known as ‘Steubenville’ conferences) give the teens the opportunity to travel to other areas of the country and meet teens who also participate in LifeTeen programs. They are given opportunities to explore such faith-building activities as Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and a Living Rosary.

Fun!: We do that, too! Putt Putt, roller skating, Lockins, picnics, dances and movie nights are all sponsored by the Youth Office. It all depends on the time, schoolwork, sports, band and everything else the teens in our area are doing. But sometimes we just need to gather and go somewhere and have fun!
Contact: The Youth Office phone number is 281-486-0337 X 311.