Welcome to the St Thomas Aquinas LIFE TEEN Website. Most of our site is currently working, there are still a few things that are under construction. Feel free to check out all that we have up and running and let me know if you see any problems that we may need to correct. Welcome and God Bless you all!

If you have any questions please email Brandon.

LIFETEEN is a Christ-centered program open to teens

(grades 9-12) of all faiths. It is a total youth ministry package. Translation:it takes care of your spiritual, social, educational and emotional needs. Come join the largest and most dynamic Catholic youth program in the country! Over 100,000 teens make the LIFETEEEN program their home on Sunday nights. LIFE meets every Sunday night, starting with the 5pm TEEN Mass and is followed by the LIFETEEN program. Bring yourself and your friends! For more information, email the youth minister, Brandon Eckerson, at beckerson@stacc.net or call him at the

St. Thomas  Aquinas Parish office: (623) 935. 2151.                                                                                                                

LIFENIGHT: Know yo Momma!

Life Teen started off like any other night until we were invaded by the new popular TV game show, Yo Momma! Thank you to our moms who helped with the game, you were great sports! We appreciate your help!

Then we participated in a rosary walk around the church grounds, focusing each decade on a particular aspect of Mary.

Decade One

Immaculate Conception:
Being Set Apart for a Purpose
• Read Luke 1:26-28
• From the very moment of her conception, Mary was set
apart for a unique role in salvation. The Lord created her
“full of grace,” as the Angel Gabriel greets her, so that
she could be prepared for all time to bring Jesus into
this world. (CCC 490)
• Mary’s whole life had been preparing her for this
moment and because of it her entire life after it was
blessed. Mary was the only human being to be
conceived of human parents without Original Sin. That
is, her soul was always unified with the will of God.
She was born in the original state of Adam and Eve
before the fall. This is referred to as the Immaculate
Conception.
• It makes sense that Mary would be conceived without
Original Sin. If she was to carry the Messiah, the Savior
of the World, the Son of God, every part of her being
would need to be united to the will of the Creator. In this
special way, God protected her.
• Each one of us is set-aside for a unique purpose. At our
Baptism, we are born into a new life and unique mission
by God. God gives us the grace to live out the individual
purpose meant for us.

Decade Two

Annunciation & Mary’s Fiat:
Saying Yes to God’s Will
• Read Luke 1:26-38
• Mary was posed with the most improbable message
from the Angel. She knows that if she is found pregnant
before her marriage to Joseph, she would be stoned to
death. She could have easily said, “no” but Mary’s faith
is so great in God that she surrenders her reputation
and future and gives the Lord her life with her yes, her
fiat, to the angel.
• It was Mary who said, “yes” to God in order that the
Messiah could come into the world. God would never
violate a human being’s gift of free will and it must have
been so for the Mother of God. It was her choice when
the angel came to tell her with the plan of God.
• At that moment, all of heaven paused, waiting for the
answer of one human being to the will of God. It was at
this point that Mary showed the entire human race what
it meant to be a follower of God. All of Salvation History
led up to that moment. (CCC #494-498, 502-507, 721-
726 Redemptoris Mater #7-17)
• As Christians, we are called to mirror Mary’s “yes”
everyday. She is our model of holiness and reckless
abandon. It is hard to say “yes” to the Lord and “no” to
our friends when we want to go to that party or “yes” to
the Lord and “no” to our boyfriend or girlfriend. But, the
Lord is asking you the same question he asked Mary
“Will you follow me?” How will you respond?

Decade Three

Mary as Ever-Virgin:
Purity
• Although Mary is the true mother of Jesus, He was
conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and not by the
effort of Mary. (CCC 499-506)
• Mary’s virginity is a sign of her faith. “Mary is a
virgin because her virginity is the sign of her faith
‘unadulterated by any doubt,’ and of her undivided gift
of herself to God’s will” (CCC 506). Mary continually
gives her purity back to the Lord as a gift of self.
• During the course of her life, the womb of Mary was
protected in the same way a Tabernacle that had held
the body of Jesus Christ would be protected and
honored. It was honored by Joseph her husband, and
she remained a virgin throughout her life. There are
many people who think that this is unrealistic, that a
married couple would never refrain from intercourse
during their marriage. In truth, for Joseph and Mary
loved each other in a supreme fashion. Mary herself
was united to God without Original Sin. Since sexual
intercourse in marriage is a sacrament that points to
heaven, it would not make sense for Mary and Joseph
to have sexual intercourse. They had experienced the
love of God in a very intimate way! Sexual intercourse
would almost be a “step back” for those who had
experienced God in the flesh. (CCC #496-501)
• For us, Mary is a great example of purity. She shows us
the beautiful gift of remaining pure for the Lord. When
we choose purity for ourselves, we are giving our lives
back to Christ as a sign of our faith.

Decade Four

Mother of God:
Our Mother
• Read John 19:25-27
• Mary is truly the Mother of the God. At the cross, Jesus
places us in the care of Mary, and all humanity receives
her as their mother. Not only is she our own Mother, but
also she is the Mother of the Church. She continually
leads the Body of Christ on earth to her Son.
• Jesus allowed Mary to be at the cross as well as his
birth. Jesus allowed for her to be protected by one
of the Apostles and gave her to the human race as a
Mother for all time.
• As the Mother of all, Mary is our greatest advocate and
example of charity. She is inviting us into relationship
with her and her Son. She desires nothing more than for
us to embrace Jesus as our Savior. To fully except Jesus
is to also accept his Mother.

Decade Five

Assumption:
Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth
• Even in her passing from this world, Mary is unique.
One of the punishments for Original Sin is death, and
since Mary was without Original Sin, she was spared
from this final operation of God upon the human body
so that we may be unified with Him. Since Mary was
unified to His will, unified to His body through her
motherhood, she would be unified to God in a special
way at her time to enter heaven.
• During the Assumption Mary is taken to heaven in both
body and soul. She did not ascend under her own
power. As a mark of her place in Heaven God took
her there at the end of her life. She sits as the Queen
Mother of Jesus, in perfect unity with His will. (CCC 966)
• With Mary as the Queen of Heaven and Earth, we have
an opportunity to pray to her and ask for her powerful
intercession. Mary brings our prayers directly to the Son
and intercedes on our behalf. We also look forward to
the day when we can join her in Heaven.

LIFE TEEN Cali Trip!!!

June 2-4, 2008

Cost: $150.00

Itinerary:

Monday June 2nd- Santa Monica Beach and Pier.

Tuesday- Six Flags Magic Mountain.

For more information Click Here. To download a Permission slip, Click Here.

If you have any further questions, email Brandon here.

Confirmation Registration will be Starting August 5! Click here to download the Confirmation Handbook.

EDGE Registration will be Starting August 5! You can download the registration forms now!

7th Grade Registration Form

8th Grade Registration Form