Teenage Timeout is an activity for our teenagers from the ages of twelve to sixteen years. The essential purpose of these days is to assist young people to be formed and instructed in the teachings of the Catholic Church, giving them a deeper knowledge and understanding of their faith and the confidence to profess it.

During the year 2001 we held four sessions during semester breaks. With the help of enthusiastic Seminarians, with their guitars and the support of the Senatus the first sessions began in January .We had well over fifty teenagers attend the four sessions. We also encouraged non-Catholics to come and three attended.

On the 30th of September we held our last Teenage Timeout at Magnificat House for this year and 23 teenagers attended. It was an afternoon filled with an atmosphere of prayer, meditation and heaps of fun.

Inviting some one who is good with teenagers starts an outline on how these afternoons are run, to help with the running of this group is essential, such as Seminarians, and enthusiastic youth. The sessions begin with a prayer and then a fun activity to help everyone to get to know each other. Many of the games played are based on children learning about their faith, for instance: Holy Heads, (like celebrity heads on television) Bible Quiz's, on questions of faith, Lives of the Saints or parables relating to their own lives acted out. Hymns or songs are sung to reinforce what they have learnt. We ended these sessions with a talk on some of the concerns that teenagers have in their everyday lives followed by silent prayer and a short scripture reading or reflection. Prizes consist of books and 'Cadbury Timeout' chocolate bars.

Running them has proved to be challenging and fun. This type of day encourages teenagers and non-Catholics who attended to understand and become part of the wider church.

It is an opportunity for young people to meet and have fun with others like themselves who struggle with their faith and who have a longing to belong to a group that is more informal but instills in them a desire to grow as well as to understand the important role they play in the future church. Praesidia or Curia (Groups) could run such days in their parishes so as to attract the young with the hope of leading them to Legion membership.