Muintir Mhuire offers a place of ‘time out’

Anne Keeling visits a Christian community in Cork reaching out to young people

"There is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than for bread.” (Mother Teresa) These simple words help express the ethos which underpins Muintir Mhuire. The community exists to provide support to young people aged 18 to 35 who for whatever reason may be struggling with life. Those who feel the need are welcome to stay for six months or longer living in community with others with the opportunity to pray, study, work and to get “the space to rethink where they’re going in life”.

Muintir Mhuire (Mary’s Family) is on the site of an old farmhouse in Ballybutler in east Co. Cork overlooking Garryvoe Strand and Ballycotton Island. Its founder and spiritual director is Fr Donal O’Callaghan, a priest of the Cloyne diocese, who in 2003 was released from ordinary ministry by then Bishop John Magee in order to devote himself to work fulltime with Muintir Mhuire.

Emphasis

“The main emphasis of our community is to provide a place of ‘time out’,” Fr Donal says. “It has been our experience that a balance between the spiritual, mental and physical sides of life enhances the development of the individual.”

To that end, activities in Muintir Mhuire incorporate daily Mass, rosary, adoration, morning and evening office, personal prayer, study, shared meals and social time.

Fr Donal’s vision is inspired by 16 centuries of Christianity in Ireland, where people lived a practical and prayerful life. It is part of our heritage that our contemplative Christian communities and settlements were “centres for learning, schools of holiness, storehouses for books and knowledge and excellent producers of craft, music and art”.

In this modern period of advanced technology and communications, we are experiencing greater loneliness and isolation. As an alternative, Muintir Mhuire “strives to bring about a more integrated approach to life where all good and new advances, those in technology and science, in media and communications, are fully appreciated and put to good use while at the same time reviving some of the above mentioned treasures of our ancestors.

“These treasures revolve around the idea of Muintearas (belonging) where everyone cares and together members pray, study and work for the good of each other.”

From humble beginnings with a handful of members, the community has grown and now has over 50 volunteers who help out in various ways. It has had over 100 young people in residence whilst the number of those who have benefited or come for daily assistance is in the thousands.

A former resident testifies: “I learnt the great value of trust, friendships, value of prayer, working as a team and gained confidence and self-esteem in doing things and tackling situations that before would have been virtually impossible for me. Also through the other members, I learnt that I wasn’t the only one, that there are many people with many difficulties out there. But I think that many just keep trying to cope with those things, when they could be far happier. Maybe it’s because they haven’t hit on this place.”

There are two remarkable things about Muintir Mhuire. Firstly, it is run entirely on divine providence and receives no funding from the diocese or the State. In this respect, Fr Donal was influenced by other communities he had encountered through his regular visits to Medjugorje. The community has three charity outreach shops – two in Midleton and one in Youghal – welcoming each person, providing them with friendship, support, or a cup of tea and where they can acquire clothes, furniture or bric-a-brac, in turn providing a regular source of income.

The second remarkable thing is their medical charity – Muintir Mhuire’s St Luke’s Medical Project. It sources medical equipment from hospitals and clinics in Ireland and donates it to hospitals and clinics abroad.

The project began in 2007 when two premature twins in a Bosnian hospital died due to lack of incubators. Since then, equipment to the value of €5 million has been donated mainly in Bosnia but also in Syria and Belarus.

This charitable work springs from the spirit of Muintir Mhuire where its young members develop a sense of confidence in themselves and caring for others, and learn that those who give always receive much more in return.

Muintir Mhuire has a second house in Medjugorje catering for the needs of many pilgrims there during the summer season. Meanwhile at Ballybutler community members and volunteers work to help this project become a reality.

“They do everything,” says Fr Donal. “Cook  meals, build walls, drive vans, collect furniture for the shops, sorting in the shops, stacking shelves, talking to the customers and selling  to them, gardening, building, maintenance, give talks, lead prayer meetings etc.”

Plans to enhance the community by building hermitages, a craft shop, a new chapel, a prayer garden dedicated to local saints Declan, Finbarr and Coleman – and much more – are well underway.

 

Muintir Mhuire welcomes both residents and volunteers. Visit www.muintirmhuire.ieor find them on Facebook. Ballybutler 024 98852. Fr Donal 086 2571445.