Fr Bryan Buenger, currently assigned to the Tararua parishes in the Diocese of Palmerston North, grew up in the ‘The Valley of the Sun’ – Phoenix, Arizona. A former secondary school teacher, while studying theology through the Kino Institute he was actively involved in the parish life of St Anne’s Parish in Gilbert, Arizona, through youth ministry, RCIA, and many other ministries. The Life Teen programme was part of the parish’s youth activities, and Fr Bryan along with the youth leaders attended many Life Teen activities, with up to 3000 young people from around Arizona attending summer Life Teen Conferences. ‘I’ve witnessed incredible spiritual and sacramental growth in the youth of the parish,’ he says. ‘It is inspirational to see what happens when young people encounter Christ in an authentic way.’ On holiday in 2005, he felt a calling to come to Aotearoa New Zealand and, combined with the calling to the priesthood, completed his studies at Good Shepherd College in Auckland and was ordained to the priesthood on 4 July 2015. Here he talks about the Life Teen mission.
Fr Bryan Buenger
Life Teen is a Eucharist-centred movement within the Catholic Church that leads not only teens but their families as well into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ and His Church.
Begun at St Timothy’s Parish in Mesa, Arizona, US, in 1985, the focus was on the Holy Mass and gathering teens for Life Night. It has steadily grown by maintaining a sacramental focus and adherence to the teachings of the Church. Currently, there are over 1800 parishes in 31 countries offering the youth of the world the opportunity to know and love our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ through the Sacraments.
The Life Teen Missions’ Rule of Life governs every aspect of the organisation and its functions: Glorify God in prayer, in the Sacraments, in community, in hospitality, in discipleship, in dependence on Him, in loving one another, in humility, by dying to self, and by glorifying God in our person, speech, by building relationships, how we treat the property of others, in communication, at home, in finances, and work. (For the complete Life Teen Missions’ Rule of Life, visit the Life Teen website at lifeteen.com and click on ‘Missions’.)
Life Teen isn’t just about the teens in their present stage of life. It is about equipping them to live fully, faithfully, and authentically Christian lives in the world. It has an admirable record in leading teens to vocations – marriage as well as the priesthood/religious life.
From a joint survey by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and Life Teen in 2015, and combined with parish activities to support vocations, such as teen altar serving and music ministry, 49 per cent of all current seminarians in the US were involved in some type of Life Teen activity and 28 per cent of all current seminarians in the US said their involvement helped support their discernment to enter the seminary. Similar statistics can be found for the number of marriages resulting from involvement in Life Teen activities.
A true gauge of the success of a programme is the number of returning attendees ‒ on average Life Teen enjoys a 70 per cent return rate, and our camps in Aotearoa would match this number. Indeed, the Church is alive and well and when our youth are exposed to the high-energy activities, dynamic speakers, and authentic Catholic teaching, and with intercession of the Blessed Mother and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Life Teen will be able to continue its mission of ‘Leading Teens Closer to Christ.’
‘Rejoice always, pray constantly, and give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.’ – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
After all, ‘God is love’ – 1 John 4:16.
Life Teen Rule of Life is an amazing document that would be beneficial to everyone at all ages. It is a blue print on how we can lead our lives in this world in preparation for the next. You can access it at lifeteen.com and click on ‘Missions’.
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