10/29/2026
ICYMI: October can't slip by before we once again recognize our Volunteer of the Month, Mary Seeterlin.
“I garden athletically.”
Those are the words of Mary Seeterlin, who used to play volleyball, basketball and softball. Now, as head of the volunteers who work in the community garden at the Cristo Rey Campus, her competitive streak inspires her to grow as much produce as much as possible in the garden.
Producing food is hard work, she says, especially with the raised-bed approach of Cristo Rey’s Garden. So, Mary fills the void with produce she grows from her plot at a local community garden. Shortly after placing it on the rack at the Cristo Rey Campus, it’s gone, she said.
In addition, Mary gathers produce from neighboring farmers’ markets, local growers and donations from Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods, among other local businesses who graciously donate products.
As a former substitute teacher, Mary enjoys teaching groups how to garden – from prepping to planting to harvesting. It’s quite a change from her former day-to-day job working for the State of Michigan, sitting in a basement behind monitors, she said. She loves being outside, so gardening is a perfect fit.
One of Mary’s most difficult challenges was trying to produce food for Afghan refugees. There’s a particular pumpkin that’s a staple in the Afghan diet, she said.
“What keeps me coming back?” she said. “It’s the soil. It’s the volunteers. It’s the people. Every Monday there are people who want to garden and I’m like, ‘Lord, what do you want me to grow?
“God has asked us to feed the poor and when we feed the poor, we’re feeding Jesus.
“He says, ‘Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
Mary also helps with the bread rack.
“I look at the people coming in and I try to make the bread look pretty,” she said. “I try to make the vegetables on the rack look pretty because people eat with their eyes. Just being here, just to hear conversation…there’s the Holy Spirit at work.”
