Stephanie Moriarty
Stephanie Moriarty describes the fun of youth ministry in Cork
This time last year, I was sitting at a hard desk in a freezing cold school wearing a scratchy school uniform. I was probably in class listening to my teacher prepare us for the dreaded Leaving Cert. Now, I’m sitting on the top floor of the Dominican Priory where I live with my NET Team in Cork City. What an amazing and delightful change!
My name is Stephanie Moriarty and I am 19 years old from Tuam in County Galway. I am so excited to be here serving with NET Ministries of Ireland!
NET (National Evangelisation Teams) Ministries Ireland is a nine-month program that has over 50-plus missionaries volunteering their time working in local communities throughout Ireland, spreading the message of the gospel to youth through their witness of Jesus.
Since October 2015, the Dominicans and the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart have brought NET Teams to Cork City, where we have been working hard to engage youth, young adults, and the general population.
Option
I realised during my Leaving Cert year that a gap-year seemed to be ‘taboo’ subject – something that was not seen as a viable option for a person who just finished their secondary school education. So, NET was a ‘secret’ option for me. I was quite hesitant to tell people that I felt called by the Lord to be a missionary – especially in my own country.
I had not met many people from Ireland that had volunteered to be missionaries with NET. Most of the people I knew on NET were from some far off exotic place! I was so afraid of what my family and friends would think of me and what I wanted to do.
The Lord has truly blessed me during this year as he showed me that there were other Irish people like me who were called to be missionaries, and that it was a beautiful and amazing calling in life. I now know that the Lord has a plan for me and I must follow the path he is leading me on, no matter what society thinks.
I hope that is something every young person can learn – that their lives are their own and shouldn’t be shaped by what people think is considered the “norm”. Thankfully, I realised that I could not hold back from the call any longer and so, here I am!
Since September we have been working in classes teaching religion, running day-long religious retreats, which have led to us starting two youth groups, a Youth 2000 prayer meeting, and a young adult group – which meets for fellowship in faith. We have been very busy with our work and had many exciting ministry events.
One of these was a full day retreat with Leaving Cert students, all of whom took up the opportunity to come to the retreat rather than have a day off school. They engaged in the topic of letting God lead them on the road trip of their lives! The students were provided with fun ways to enter into their faith with games, prayer, dramas, sketches and talks. Our NET team was really excited to see the students becoming more invested into where God wants them to go, as they make their next big life decisions.
One of our most successful monthly events has been Nightfever, where, joined by 26 other young adult volunteers, including the Holy Family Mission, we spend an evening on the streets of Cork City and invite passers by into Cork’s Augustinian church to light a candle. If the awe of the church completely lit by candle light doesn’t fill people with wonder, then the quiet music, opportunities for prayer, and Confession just might. Going out onto the streets of Cork invites young adults not to just believe in their faith, but fight for it and work to share their love of God with others.
More locally, the team had a great time with their youth groups during their ‘Christmas Series. First learning about Our Mother Mary and her fiat – her ‘yes’ – then the humble St Joseph and, finally, a great social night full of fun and healthy competition in Laser Quest.
It was great to see many youth from both the youth groups come together through faith, and if fun was measured by the number of pizza boxes, we couldn’t have had any more.
Cork has been so fantastic. My team and I have been really blessed here. We are so welcomed everywhere we go. Cork’s people have been so kind to us and so generous with time and prayers. From the schools we work in to the prayer meetings we take part in to the youth groups we run – we have had beautiful experiences in every aspect of our ministry.
With nothing but positive experiences here, I have honestly come to see Cork as a second home. I am so thankful to my team, contact people and youth for making this year so wonderful and I know that they will all be huge factors in continuing to make this year more beautiful every day.
I am so excited to see what God has in store for the youth here in the future and where he will lead me next!