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NORTHBOROUGH — At St. Rose of Lima Parish, ministry leaders are bringing a new program to bring teenagers closer to their faith.

“Life Teen” is an international program that provides ministries with “resources that provide solid Catholic teaching and youth ministry experiences for youth in middle school through high school,” according to its website. The Northborough parish is adopting the program, with its first Teen Mass planned for Oct. 19.

“We’re very excited about bringing life change to St. Rose,” Youth Minister Marisol Bermudez-Ellis told the Community Advocate. While Life Teen offers programs for middle schoolers, St. Rose’s masses will primarily focus on high school students.

The teen masses will be held every Sunday at 5 p.m. Unlike a typical mass, the kids will participate as greeters, lecturers, and even Eucharistic ministers. The music, while still holding its Catholic roots, will be more contemporary, and will be performed by local youth and musicians.

Every other week, St. Rose will host “Life Nights” for the teenagers. The evening will feature guest speakers, games, and prayer, with the goal of bringing the teenagers closer to both each other and their faith.

“We wanted to make sure that our kids, our teens know that there’s a place for them no matter where they are in the stages of life,” Bermudez-Ellis said.

She added that the church saw a decline in teenager participation and attendance after the COVID-19 pandemic. Fr. Juan Escudero, St. Rose’s pastor, saw the need to try something new and engage local youth creatively.

With Life Teen’s 30-year history and modern teachings grounded in the Catholic faith, Bermudez-Ellis said it was the perfect match.

For the St. Rose community, its youth is at the center of their parish. Bermudez-Ellis said the response from parents and other parishioners has been invigorating as the kickoff mass gets closer.

“It’s a big community, and they really care about their teens,” she said.

The Life Teen masses will take place every Sunday at 5 p.m. at St. Rose of Lima at 244 West Main Street in Northborough. “Life Nights” will be every other week, with the first being Oct. 19.