SEQUIM — The Rev. Henry Mulindwa — better known as Father Henry — is moving again.
Mulindwa left his native Uganda in late January 2008 to fly to America, where he became pastor of St. Joseph Catholic Church, a parish serving 750 households in and near Sequim.
Since then, the priest has inspired parishioners to look beyond themselves, to young people around Clallam County — and in the province of Masaka, Uganda.
Mulindwa, who spices sermons and conversations with stories about his boyhood in Africa, drew non-Catholics to St. Joseph’s, said parishioner Barbara Brown of Sequim.
“They came just to hear his homilies,” she said.
This weekend, Mulindwa — who is being transferred to Port Orchard — will say goodbye to Sequim during three receptions at St. Joseph’s, 121 E. Maple St.: one following Saturday’s 5 p.m. Mass, another after Sunday’s 8:30 a.m. Mass and finally after the 10:30 Mass on Sunday.
Throughout his time in Sequim, Mulindwa worked with Brown and other parishioners to establish the Uganda School Fund for students in rural Uganda.
Together they raised money to provide mosquito nets, school uniforms, shoes and other basics — and last February, five Sequim residents traveled to the African nation and saw the Boys & Girls Club Mulindwa attended as a child.
‘Go beyond ourselves’
“As Christians, we’re family,” Mulindwa said of the faraway village. “Family means we have to go beyond ourselves.”
He’s also fond of a Ugandan saying: “The best exercise is to bend down and pick up someone.”
Also during Mulindwa’s time as pastor, his congregation donated thousands of dollars to the Queen of Angels School in Port Angeles to cover tuition for children from low-income families.
Many of the donors don’t have kids in school, Mulindwa said, yet they consider Clallam’s youngsters to be “our children.”
Brown added that since Mulindwa became the parish priest here, he’s accepted many invitations to speak to groups across the county, including the annual Community Prayer Breakfast in May at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Port Angeles.
He’s also known for long talks with parishioners about faith and family troubles.
“Every time I see him, he inspires me,” Brown said.
The Archdiocese of Seattle is transferring Mulindwa to St. Gabriel Catholic Church in Port Orchard, while the Rev. Victor Olvida of Enumclaw’s Sacred Heart Parish is being sent to St. Joseph’s in Sequim.
Transfers are a fact of life in the Catholic church, as parishes’ needs change and priests die or leave orders.
Olvida, a native of the Philippines who speaks four languages including Spanish, English and two from his homeland, will arrive at St. Joseph’s on Wednesday, the same day Mulindwa departs.
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Sequim-Dungeness Valley reporter Diane Urbani de la Paz can be reached at 360-681-2391 or at diane.urbani@peninsuladailynews.com.
