A Mother’s Unconditional Love
Maryknoll Lay Missioner, Juan Gomez, shares a reflection of the unconditional love expressed by Juanita to her epileptic son and his multiple seizures a day.
A New Chapter in a Familiar Story
After 6 years in Tanzania, Susanne Beentjes thought she knew the area and culture. With her new outlook through the lens of MKLM, she’s experiencing it in a whole new way.
You Are Not Alone
Veteran Lay Missioner, Joe Loney, recently got to observe the ministries of one of our newest lay missioners, Wilber Montoya. He shares a beautiful reflection of his observations with us here.
A small village, a wider world
From Ordinary Time to extraordinary resilience, missioner Sarah Bueter reflects on what it means to live alongside a community in El Salvador shaped by memory, faith, and unfinished hope.
A life shaped by mission and friendship
An early co-director of Maryknoll Lay Missioners, Chuck Lathrop helped guide the organization through its earliest years while carrying a lifelong commitment to mission across continents. He is remembered with gratitude by family, friends, and missioners around the world.
Catholic search party finds migrant remains in desert
Maryknoll Lay Missioner Heidi Cerneka, an immigration lawyer at the border, joined Jesuits and other volunteers on a sobering mission.
An elder’s mission to form good men
As he balances graduate studies by Zoom, missioner Francis Wayne continues his mission in Kenya—walking alongside incarcerated youth and men in recovery, offering steady presence, practical skills, and hope rooted in dignity and community.
Learning to see possibility
At the Home of Hope in Cambodia, small, patient acts of accompaniment help young people with developmental challenges discover new confidence, connection, and joy.
A shared “yes” to mission
Maryknoll Lay Missioners sent forth eight new missioners to serve in communities across the Americas and Africa.
A missioner’s long legacy of faith and service
A refugee turned missioner and beloved community leader, Son Nguyen devoted his life to others—from Houston’s Vietnamese Catholic community to vulnerable children and families in Bolivia. He is remembered for his courage, kindness, and the love he poured into every act.
Dignity restored through community
Through parish accompaniment and shared meals, Maryknoll lay missioners Filo Siles and Joe Loney are helping older adults in Cochabamba reclaim belonging and hope amid the challenges of aging.
A new chapter opens for a mission—and for the missioner
As Uzima Centre enters a time of leadership transition, Maryknoll lay missioner Joanne Miya reflects on positive change—from expanded apprenticeships and nonviolence education to new spiritual accompaniment at the Lake House of Prayer—while trusting the next generation to carry the work forward.
Out of ruin, a place to call home
After heavy rains worsened the condition of a fragile mud house in Mombasa, a widow and her children found themselves facing the loss of their home. With support from the HOPE Project, what began as collapse became a fresh beginning on solid ground.
Dust trails toward the heart of God
From mountain villages to dense urban neighborhoods in El Salvador, Maryknoll lay missioner Rick Dixon accompanies children whose courage and joy reveal God’s glory in the everyday. Through broken-down buses, makeshift libraries, and a growing circle of young “librarians,” he witnesses a community stitching together learning, belonging, and hope—one small hand at a time.
Maryknoll Lay Missioners welcomes international members
On March 14, three El Salvadoran candidates departed for Cochabamba, Bolivia, where they will be engaged in the orientation and formation program. Upon completion in mid-May, they will remain in mission in Bolivia.
Easter blessings!
This sacred season of Easter reminds us that hope is alive, and through faith and service, lives are renewed each day.
Nothing forgotten, everything forgiven
In a region long haunted by the terror of violence, memories of war—stolen childhoods, ruptured families, and unspeakable loss—underpin daily life in northern Uganda. Yet voices rise—and not in vengeance. Here, survivors and peacemakers gather in quiet circles, daring to believe that healing begins by facing the past with courage and compassion. Missioner Marj Humphrey joins them in restoring dignity and reconciling relationships.
Seeds of healing on holy ground
Nearly two decades after the guns fell silent, wounds still run deep in northern Uganda. Among the resilient Acholi people—survivors of war, displacement, and profound trauma—local leaders are rising to rebuild community through restorative justice and compassion. Missioner Joanne Blaney walks alongside them, listening, learning, and witnessing the quiet strength of healing hearts.
A heart bowed in faith
At the Home of Hope in Cambodia, where missioner Hang Tran serves, children with diverse abilities navigate daily challenges with resilience and joy, among them, Simon—a spirited young boy with Down syndrome. Though his struggles with hygiene are well-known, his spontaneous moments of devotion reveal a deeper truth: a longing for the divine, a thirst for something greater. Through his simple yet profound gestures of worship, Simon teaches us all about the cycles of cleansing and renewal, both physical and spiritual.
Maryknoll Lay Missioners and Maryknoll Sisters collaborate on Maryknoll Monarch Initiative
The inaugural event of the newly formed Maryknoll Monarch Initiative was the “Hope & Resilience at the Border” workshop on March 18. Its mission is the empowerment of individuals and communities through education, advocacy, and transformative experience.
Hope restored
As the Catholic Church celebrates the Jubilee Year of Hope, the HOPE Project embodies its spirit—transforming the lives of orphans and vulnerable children through education, care, and opportunity.
Ministry of presence
In a Salvadoran public hospital, a group of church women in starched blue vests tend to the sick—not just with prayers, but with a radical compassion that sees no distinction between the healer and the suffering. Missioner Sarah Bueter shares how their ministry is a quiet yet profound act of solidarity in a system that often fails the most vulnerable.
A lifeline of hope
From providing essential school supplies to supporting life-saving medical care, Uzima Centre is making a difference in the lives of vulnerable individuals in Tanzania. Children are getting the education they deserve, families are learning the power of saving, and those living with HIV are receiving critical care. From missioner Joanne Miya, here’s how your support is changing lives.
A heart for service
A journey of service, faith, and unexpected grace unfolds in Cambodia, where missioner Thu Tam (T.T.) Hoang’s call to accompany others has led to a mission far greater than imagined. From aiding trafficking victims to launching a new seafarers’ outreach, the path is ever evolving—one step at a time, in trust and patience.
What love is
In the heart of Kitale, Kenya, the resilience of the very poor offers a profound reflection on love as described by St. Paul. Through their patience, humility, and endurance—writes missioner Theresa Glaser—they embody virtues that challenge the comfort of wealth and privilege.
The miracle of a humble library
In Riwoto, South Sudan, the opening of a new Learning Resource Center at Tim Galvin Secondary School is providing a rare opportunity for students to engage with books, technology, and a modern approach to learning. With a new library, computer lab, and growing resources, this project is helping students develop essential skills, from reading comprehension to computer literacy, and offering them a brighter future.
Build a longer table, not higher walls
Forced into the shadows and denied the right to work, asylum seekers are simply trying to survive—and they are entitled to dignity. In the gospel story of the bold SyroPhoenician woman, missioner Sr. Deirdre Griffin is reminded of the call to challenge exclusion and rethink what it means to truly welcome.
She stole my heart!
When missioner Louise Locke joined Maryknoll Lay Missioners, she was certain that her vocation was to accompany the elderly through aging and death. But God had other plans. A chance encounter with a woman dedicated to uplifting vulnerable mothers and children challenged her assumptions. And then came Jenifer—a 5-year-old whose unconditional love completely disarmed her.
The liberation of reading
A library is blossoming in the Colorado Desert, bridging Spanish and English, children and parents, imagination and possibility. Thanks to generous donations, says missioner Rick Dixon, families in Mexicali, Mexico are gathering to read, learn, and dream together—finding in books a path to peace, justice, and a brighter future.
A future of possibilities for deaf young adults through job training
At the Deaf Development Programme in Cambodia where missioner Julie Lawler serves, deaf young adults like Sok Nov and SreyVin are discovering new opportunities through job training. As they hone their skills in baking and salon work, they are building a future filled with creativity, independence, and hope.
Keep on
Missioner Coralis Salvador reports on the situation for migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border—and shares how she stays hopeful in the face of such uncertainty.
The fruit of our labor
Missioner Minh Nguyen in Bolivia shares the story of a young woman named Genoveva, who is flourishing and has a bright future, thanks to the love and support of her family, community, and those who minister to children with disabilities.
“Mustard Seed Dining Room” nourishes bodies, uplifts spirits in Bolivia
Missioner Joe Loney relates how his wife and fellow missioner Filo Siles hears and responds to “the cry of the poor” among older adults in Bolivia—and learns that meeting one need often leads to another.
Going forth and being home
Like mission, “home” involves more than location, explains missioner Bob Cunningham in El Salvador. It is a state of being one with our surroundings and with others.
Maryknoll Lay Missioners featured on Chicago Archdiocese broadcast & podcast
The Global Mission Office of the Archdiocese of Chicago hosts a monthly program on the spirit of mission around the globe. Host Megan Mio sat down with returned Maryknoll lay missioners Celine and Don Woznica, as well as Jennifer Tomshack, communications manager, and Daniel Lizárraga, mission services manager, at Maryknoll Lay Missioners.
Solidarity at the margins
Your Lenten gift today can be a profound act of almsgiving—because your generosity enables our missioners to help those who often have no one else to turn to.
“Love & Speak the Truth” podcast interviews Maryknoll lay missioner Heidi Cerneka
Podcast host Sr. Brenda Eagan, IBVM engages in conversation with Heidi Cerneka about faith, justice, and the courage it takes to act on your convictions.
Maryknoll lay missioner Sr. Deirdre Griffin featured by Congregation of St. Joseph
Maryknoll lay missioner Sr. Deirdre Griffin, SSJ, an immigration lawyer in El Paso, was joined in January by a delegation of Sisters of St. Joseph from across the country to volunteer at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Maryknoll Lay Missioners featured in Living City magazine
Maryknoll Lay Missioners made the cover of a special issue on migration, published by Focolare Media. MKLM communications manager Jennifer Tomshack reports on the work of current and returned missioners, including Bill Hallerman and Linda Savio (Venezuela 1986-1990), at the U.S.-Mexico border.
‘Mission Sprouts Hope’
On Feb. 2 Maryknoll Lay Missioners held a virtual panel discussion with young missioners and people who were children in mission with their parents. The event is the third in a series celebrating our 50th anniversary this year.
The action of waiting
Active waiting involves preparation, alertness, and attentiveness to God’s presence in our daily lives. Missioner Sarah Bueter in El Salvador explains.
Acting with Jesus’ heart
We invite you to join us in walking with Josh Sisolak and Marj Humphrey as they go forth to love and serve in their respective journeys to Bolivia and East Africa. Together with them, and all our missioners around the world, let us renew our own mission!
“We are together”
“Two accomplishments describe my success as a missioner,” says Francis Wayne in Kenya. “One, I have given to boys knowledge of options so that they might choose a lifestyle that keeps them out of trouble, and two, I have changed. Both are equally significant.”
Why I’m happy to sit in an empty classroom
Well, here I am again. Sitting by myself in an empty classroom, projector and PowerPoint lesson ready to go. Last year, I barely had enough room to fit all of the students who came to my “summer” classes. But here I am, for the fourth straight day sitting in this room with no one to teach. It’s kinda great. Let me explain.
Old roots, new shoots
Maryknoll lay missioners were commissioned to serve in Bolivia and East Africa during a Sending Ceremony in Ossining, New York on Dec. 7, 2024.
God is the outcast
While missioner Rick Dixon in Mexicali, Mexico considered how the U.S. presidential election will affect asylum seekers, he was drawn to meditate on the words of German Lutheran pastor and anti-Nazi dissident Dietrich Bonhoeffer: “God is the beyond in the midst of our lives.”
The heart of mission? Say yes to tacos
“Mission is full of invitations and new opportunities to which I should respond with a yes, but I often find myself saying no instead. The instinct to regress to the familiar and comfortable is a strong pull. There’s a cost, though, to saying no and staying with what’s easy,” reflects El Salvador missioner Josh Wetmore. He considers what’s to be gained from saying yes.
Maryknoll Lay Missioners featured by Pilgrim Center of Hope
Maryknoll Lay Missioners was featured on the podcast of Pilgrim Center of Hope, a Catholic evangelization ministry based in San Antonio, Texas. The “Journeys of Hope” weekly audio broadcast & podcast program interviewed James and Betty Keller, returned Maryknoll lay missioners (Mexico 1989-1996), and Daniel Lizárraga, Maryknoll Lay Missioners’ mission services manager.
The 2024 Covenant & Sending Ceremony
Watch the ceremony online as we sent forth Josh Sisolak and Marj Humphrey at the Maryknoll Sisters’ chapel in Ossining, New York on Dec. 7, 2024.
A return to mission
Starting in 1987, Marj Humphrey served as a Maryknoll lay missioner in East Africa for 20 years. Upon her return to the United States, she served on Maryknoll Lay Missioners’ board of directors, then as director of missions for six years until she retired. 2025 marks her return from retirement—and to mission in her beloved East Africa.
Happiness amidst hardship
The secret to finding joy? Simple, says SreyRoth at the Deaf Leadership Training Program: Dream of the future, serve those in need, and work for a better tomorrow. Missioner Julie Lawler in Cambodia relates her story.
Love works wonders
Through innovative projects and unwavering support, Tanzania’s Uzima Centre uplifts the vulnerable, fostering hope and dignity for HIV+ clients of all ages. Missioner Joanne Miya reflects on the successful services provided this year.
Better choices, second chances
At the Home of Hope in Cambodia where missioner Hang Tran serves people with disabilities, she accompanies a young man struggling to achieve independence and discovers how creativity and compassion “compost” suffering.
The path of a pilgrim of hope
When we consider our divided society, the wars happening around the world, and the everyday challenges that accompany life, it can be difficult to feel hopeful sometimes.
Peace and solidarity usher in summer
Each year, Brazil celebrates Black Consciousness Day on Nov. 20. This year it became a national holiday observed to mark a regained awareness by the Afro-Brazilian community about their contribution to the country.
Meet the team!
In addition to teaching deaf students extra math classes in Tanzanian sign language at Bwiru Boys Technical School in Mwanza, missioner Stephen Veryser helps coach basketball at the school and fund improvements of the court.
The heart of togetherness
In Africa, marriage is more than a union between two individuals—it’s a community affair, says missioner Gabe Hurrish in South Sudan. The extended family takes center stage, harmony is paramount, and generosity binds generations.
Jesus in the face of the poor
“Divinity is always where one least expects to find it,” wrote Fulton Sheen. And so it is for missioner Rich Tarro in his ministry work in Kenya, where he discovers Christ again and again in the children, women, and men that HOPE project serves.
The light of love breaks through
At El Paso hospitality shelter Casa Papa Francisco and through the immersion program Encuentro Project, missioner Coralis Salvador sees how the faith and hope of migrants—and those who care about them—overcomes darkness at the border.
Rays of hope, sprouts of justice, births of peace
During this holy season, we invite you to renew your own missionary discipleship and to explore new ways to encounter and increase God’s grace in your own community.
Giving Tuesday 2024
This Giving Tuesday—Dec. 3, 2024—join us in mission and DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT! Thanks to a team of our generous supporters, all GIVING TUESDAY donations to MARYKNOLL LAY MISSIONERS (and other online gifts through the end of 2024) will be matched 1:1 (up to a total amount of $50,000).
Joy in the moment
Vastly more important than “results” is the inherent sacredness of the present moment with the frail, abandoned, and traumatized people God has brought into the life of missioner Louise Locke through her ministries in Bolivia.
Catholic Worker features Maryknoll lay missioner Marj Humphrey
The website of the global Catholic Worker Movement (CatholicWorker.org) and its email newsletter Roundtable featured Maryknoll lay missioner Marj Humphrey and her upcoming return to mission to East Africa.
Nashville Catholic covers presentation of 2024 McCarthy Award
Nashville Catholic, the publication of the Diocese of Nashville, Tennessee, covered the presentation of the Maryknoll Lay Missioners’ 2024 Bishop McCarthy Spirit of Mission Award to Josie and Frank Cuda on Oct. 27, 2024 at the Cudas’ parish, Catholic Church of the Nativity in Thompson’s Station, Tennessee.
