Woman on Maryknoll mission to Kenya

By Susan Bailey | CFP Correspondent

Brenda Seymour from Hudson saw out 2019 by beginning a new life. On New Year’s Eve, she departed for Kenya as a Maryknoll missioner, where she will serve for the next three-and-a-half years. The 65-year-old former parishioner of St. Luke the Evangelist Parish in Westborough and Immaculate Conception Parish in Marlborough was one of four lay missioners and one Maryknoll sister sent to four countries around the world: Haiti, Kenya, Cambodia and East Timor.
On Dec. 14, at a sending ceremony in the Annunciation Chapel of the Mary-knoll sisters in Ossining, New York, the missioners were called forth for their new mission countries and received their Maryknoll mission crosses. Reading a prayer together, they committed themselves “to witness the Good News of Jesus Christ, in solidarity with our brothers and sisters who are marginalized and oppressed.” They also pledged “to care for the Earth, our common home, and to respond in service to help create a more just and compassionate world.” The missioners also dedicated themselves “to this sacred mission of building up your reign on Earth in justice, peace and love.”
Ms. Seymour felt called to service at an early age, inspired by President John F. Kennedy who said, “Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.”
“During my teenage years, the Peace Corps became popular and my thoughts on service and possibly contributing or assisting less fortunate people took hold,” she said. “I went to a small Catholic high school and became involved in some of the outreach programs in the area and saw the everyday needs of some people. I’ve always felt very blessed, having more than enough of what I need, and so the inequalities that exist in the world really struck me then and still strike me.”
Upon graduation from high school and college Ms. Seymour joined the U.S. Peace Corps, serving in Gede, Kenya.
“I was a harambee / high school teacher and fell in love with the people of Kenya and had a tremendous experience,” she said. “The Kenyans around me lived very simply and yet very well. They took care of each other regardless of their differences. Neighbors shared everything.”
After completing her Peace Corps service Ms. Seymour returned to the United States and lived in Gloucester, where she became involved with the Wellspring House and other social assistance programs. Going on retreat, she met Edwina Gateley who had started the Volunteer Missionary Movement in the United Kingdom. Longing to return to mission service while also embracing her Catholic faith, Ms. Seymour joined Ms. Gateley’s program and went to Uganda to serve for two years.
Upon her return to the United States, Ms. Seymour decided upon furthering her education.
“I wanted to go to graduate school to earn a master’s in ESL/bilingual education,” she said. “My own struggle in learning the languages of the people in Kenya and Uganda prompted this. I also realized how so many immigrants in the U.S. had such difficulties in their workplaces and in everyday social interactions because of language communication and felt drawn to learning how I might play a part in their language education.” As a result, Ms. Seymour became an ESL teacher upon graduation and dedicated her career to teaching English as a second language.
“I’ve taught overseas a few more times and have been an ESL teacher for all age groups, from very young students to adult education and community college,” she said. “Most of my students who have been immigrants have enriched my life tremendously. I have felt so blessed from meeting people from such diverse backgrounds.”
With retirement looming in February of 2018, Ms. Seymour’s thoughts turned again to some sort of service, “to contribute and assist those who may need someone to walk alongside them.”
After attending another retreat led by Edwina Gateley, Ms. Seymour learned of the Maryknoll missioners. “The Maryknoll missionary spirit and vision seems to fit this call I feel God has drawn me to,” she said.
In preparation for her mission, Ms. Seymour attended a 30-week Ignatian spiritual exercises retreat from September through May of 2018. She then, along with three other lay missioners and a Maryknoll sister, attended a 12-week orientation in New York, which concluded on Dec. 14 with the sending ceremony.
“The 12-week orientation was a very good training for the vision and call to serve,” she said. “We had many presentations and workshop classes in theology, Catholic social teaching, the mission of Jesus Christ in our discipleship, reading missionary life described in Scripture and really so much more. We met and were inspired by so many of the Maryknoll missionary sisters, fathers and brothers. They told us about their lifetime of mission service all around the world. We also attended many wonderful liturgies and cultural services.”
Returning from the orientation in mid-December, Ms. Seymour made her preparations to leave for Kenya on Dec. 31. She has one hope for her mission: “To act on my faith to be a true disciple of Jesus Christ, and to try to follow the Gospel message to love and serve all people, especially the marginalized and impoverished.”

Photos courtesy of Maryknoll.