Personal Profile
A veteran of Youth 2000, Máire McAteer has seen the organisation grow and bear much fruit during her time there.
“I’ve seen how it has grown. Like everything we have to be patient to see growth. Like, the mustard seed starts so small, but it takes time to grow into the huge bush, and I mean, Youth 2000 is now 30 years in existence and I have seen incredible fruit out of that. It’s still only at 30 years old, still only a very young tree that will continue to grow because it’s planted in good soil.”
If Youth 2000 can be likened to a tree bearing good fruit, then Máire has been instrumental in the business of tree planting. She tells The Irish Catholic where this zeal came from:
“I just have lovely memories of watching my dad in chapel as a child, copying him, like noticing the difference when he would genuflect on one knee and then when he was on two knees, you know, if the Blessed Sacrament was being adored. Of course, being unaware at that stage what was really happening, but knowing I wanted to copy everything my dad did.”
She tells of a “normal, traditional Irish family” life, replete with memories of prayer and holy water being sprinkled about the house. A real awakening took place, however, when she experienced echoes of an intellectual rousing of her faith as she had an icon explained to her.
“I always remember the parish missions growing up, you know, and being so excited, children got to sit up at the front, and I can remember the Redemptorist missionaries coming and – that was one of my favourite memories, actually. It was them explaining the image of Our Lady of Perpetual Help and being fascinated with that as a child,” she shares.
“I just loved that the little shoe was falling off, his sandal was falling off of his foot and he was looking up at the cross and I remember actually talking then to my grandmother about it and Granny was like, ‘Oh, because, you know he sees the cross and he’s afraid and he knows what’s going to happen.’ And then it’s amazing because you know in later years in life when you begin to grow in your Faith and study as an adult…I remember reading about that and going, ‘Oh my goodness!’”
Engaging the intellect is a large part of Youth 2000, and it has affected Máire’s approach with the young people she encounters. She knows the power catechesis has, having experienced it herself. She explains, “In my heart I had a love of God, in my heart. But what Youth 2000 did, it kind of put flesh on the bones of my faith and, kind of, formed my intellect and helped me understand why I loved God so much, and I began to understand the teachings of the Church and to learn scriptures and I was part of the first catechesis course that Youth 2000 organised in conjunction with Maryvale University.”
“I learned so much in my early days in Youth 2000,” she adds.
Máire’s understanding of matters of the Faith is fully in-line with Youth 2000’s, and it’s a good thing too, with her being the organisation’s Development Officer. It’s a role that includes “fundraising, making the public aware of the great work that the young people are doing and how much they love the Church and promotion of the mission”. It also involves the co-ordination of prayer meetings for the youth of Ireland.
Extremely passionate about her work, Máire explained where her love for youth ministry comes from, saying “I love that it’s young people. That it’s volunteering and giving their time, their creativity, their gifts, completely for free, just for the sheer love of it. That they’re giving their time because they have come to know and believe in the love that God has for them.”
And then Youth 2000 is a springboard into life – into all walks of life”
And it’s just that for Youth 2000, and for Máire – missionary efforts must be centred on God.
“Also, of course, the biggest thing about Youth 2000 is the Eucharist. It’s Eucharistic. I think I see Youth 2000 as like St Andrew, you know, bringing people to Jesus. Youth 2000 is an instrument saying, ‘Come and see, come and see the Lord.’”
Describing the effect these encounters have on the youth, Máire explained, “Just the joy. I think Youth 2000 spreads a lot of joy, and now in the future, like, the young people – they’re grounded now because they know who they are in Christ when we give them that sense of their identity, and then they are the ones in social media that are part of building the pro-life community. For me, I see Youth 2000 as an encounter with Christ in the Eucharist. That’s our objective, to bring people to encounter. And then Youth 2000 is a springboard into life – into all walks of life. All the different ministries.”