Yesterday life happened, as it usually does, and I ended up going to a Life Teen mass at 6pm. I have to admit that I DREAD going to Life Teen masses. Usually I leave a Life Teen mass having witnessed some gross abuse that has taken place, like priests inviting kids up behind the altar and holding hands with them during parts of the Eucharistic prayer.

Yesterday was different ... I could see the vision behind Life Teen and I came away with a favorable yet guarded opinion of Life Teen.

First, the music was halfway decent. It was rock music, which I am generally opposed to in mass, but since it was there it might as well be good.
Second, it was PACKED and the kids were INVOLVED.
Third, it was lightly charismatic, as in raising of hands during some of the songs. See my diatribe on the proper inclusion of charismatic phenomenon in the mass. This mass fit my criteria.
Fourth, there seemed to be regular attendees who were NOT teenagers.
Fifth, there were no visible abuses in the liturgy and the teaching was in line with the Magesterium.

These are all good signs ...

In the sense it was presented yesterday, I can see where Life Teen is intended to get youth interested in the mass in a culture that is very hostile to teenagers. In that way I applaud what is trying to be done. I think that the goal, however, needs to be to get kids interested in liturgy that is more ordered towards heaven and this is where I think Life Teen falls a little short. I think it is important to meet people where they are. Life Teen does that. One has to worry however, if what we are really doing is creating adults who want to relive the glories of their youth, which in the future might include attending mass with mostly teenagers or leaving the Church altogether to find "lively" services in a Protestant church.

Another thing that I think Life Teen creates a problem with is getting worked up about songs throughout the liturgy and then having the Eucharistic prayers seem almost dull in comparison. Sure, good catechesis solves that problem and maybe I am underestimating what teenagers know about what is happening on the altar. The focus of Catholic worship is the Eucharist. Without the understanding of what is most important in mass, teenagers can grow accustomed to mass being like everything else in this world. A place to feel good, and not necessarily to pursue holiness.

Also, priests ... you can give deep homilies to kids. They won't bite and they will likely appreciate your affirmation that their intellect is up to the level that you typically associate with mature adults. I encounter Catholic teenagers online all the time. They read Aquinas, Newman, Ratzinger ... they want the good stuff too.