This year Brother Curt Kedley celebrates 60 years since professing his First Oath with Glenmary. Brothers Jack Henn and Virgil “Virg” Siefker celebrate their golden jubilee for 50 years, and Brother Tom Sheehy celebrates 40 years.  By Lindsay Braud

Faithful service
Brother Curt Kedley

For the past 60 years, Brother Curt Kedley has tirelessly served in Glenmary missions. “I’ve always had a strong urge to work with the marginalized,” he says.
His journey with Glenmary began on August 15, 1966, the day he professed his First Oath. “I knew I didn’t want to be a priest, and I thought about being a missionary overseas,” Brother Curt explains. However, it was his twin sister Jane who suggested he look into Glenmary. After telling the family about his plans, Brother Curt recalls that his sister exclaimed, “What took you so long?!”
Brother Curt has left a lasting legacy across Glenmary missions in Georgia, Kentucky, Oklahoma, and North Carolina. One project he is especially proud of is the Adult Day Activity Program in Jefferson, North Carolina. This collaborative shelter-workshop supports people with intellectual disabilities in learning skills for independent living. “Ministering there was a neat experience,” he says. “It was just a blessing to be there.”
Now at the age of 83, Brother Curt shows no signs of slowing down. He lives in Windsor, North Carolina, doing what he calls beautification ministry; painting, and visiting the local nursing homes. In the past decade, he also helped build the Good Shepherd food pantry. “I just try to be faithful,” he says.

A unique calling
Brother Jack Henn

Looking back on his past 50 years with Glenmary, Brother Jack Henn remembers fondly his time spent in Sylvania, Georgia. This was one of his first assignments after professing his First Oath on May 31, 1976. The area was beautiful, the weather warm, and the people welcoming. “I felt like I was an integral part of the community,” Brother Jack says.
During those early days of his mission, Brother Jack worked with people across all parts of the community — the elderly, local churches, social organizations, sports, and more. His vocation as a religious Brother gave Jack the flexibility to serve the community in myriad ways.
“The vocation of Brother was attractive to me because it would give me a way to be with the people,” Brother Jack explains. Helping people understand the Brother vocation is important to him because it is a calling distinctive from all other vowed religious. “As a Brother, I could be with the people in a very unique role,” he says.
Over the years, Brother Jack has used his talents to serve three terms as Glenmary’s second vice president. He also served as president for the Religious Brothers Conference, an organization dedicated to supporting and promoting the special charism and vocation of the religious Brother. He now sits on their board of directors.
These days Brother Jack can be found volunteering with the Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly and the National Religious Formation Conference, sitting on their boards of directors. He also is active in supporting Glenmary’s senior missioners living in Cincinnati, Ohio — driving them to appointments and visiting those in nursing homes.

Serving God by helping others
Brother Virg Siefker

Brother Virg Siefker grew up in a small village in northern Ohio, helping out every day on the family farm. He learned a lot about construction from his dad and grandpa, and worked for a carpenter every summer during his college years. So, when it came time to work on the Glenmary Building Program after professing his First Oath on May 31, 1976, Brother Virg was ready.
He spent 10 years building churches and parish halls, even helping to construct the Our Lady of the Fields Chapel located on Glenmary’s campus in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Building “was my way of helping people,” Brother Virg explains. “Doing physical acts of love — construction, helping at the food pantry, volunteering with Samaritan’s Purse — they all focus on the idea of helping people.”
His expertise in construction and carpentry was put to good use after a devastating tornado hit Windsor, North Carolina, in 2013. He, along with volunteers from Samaritan’s Purse, worked two days a week rebuilding homes. The people were so grateful for his service they made him an “honorary Baptist,” which is quite an honor, Brother Virg explains.
During his time in Windsor, Brother Virg was invited to participate in another ministry — visiting and praying with men in prison. This ministry involved participating in a four-day Kairos retreat and weekly small group bible study.
“I gained a high level of respect for the men in prison who desired to pray,” Brother Virg says. He continues this ministry today in Cincinnati, Ohio. He can also be found working in the offices; answering the phone and greeting visitors.

When you love what you do, it’s not work
Brother Tom Sheehy

Deciding to work in rural ministry was easy for Brother Tom Sheehy. Having grown up in a town of around 25 people, he understood the peculiarities and needs of rural communities. After finishing his Clinical Pastoral Education in Boston, classmates were stunned to find out he would be going to the “hollers of Kentucky,” Brother Tom explains. But that’s exactly where he wanted to go.
Brother Tom professed his First Oath on May 24, 1986. He has spent time in Kentucky, Georgia, West Virginia, and Tennessee. However, one of his favorite memories comes from his time in Eastman, Georgia, where he organized a Habitat for Humanity affiliate. “It was absolutely the most wonderful experience. There weren’t enough hours in the day or days in the week; but when you love what you do, it’s not work,” Brother Tom says.
As a professional contractor, Brother Tom was a perfect fit for this ministry. There also was tremendous community involvement, with college and high school students from around the country volunteering regularly. “When I left, we had 15 houses built or under construction,” he says.
Brother Tom now does ministry in rural Tennessee.

This story first appeared in the Glenmary Challenge.