Swahili Community

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Mass: Sunday 2:30pm at Holy Spirit Church

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On June 3rd, 2007, a group of five East African Swahili speaking Catholic families met under the leadership of Father Charles Kanai seeking to live out their Catholic belief. The late Father Lee Hightower, the parish priest of St. John Bosco Catholic church in Lakewood fostered the group. The first Swahili mass was held on June 10 2007 and the Swahili Catholic Community was established. Swahili mass was held once a month, when the members decided to move to a central area thus relocating to Holy Spirit Parish in Kent.

Since then, Holy Spirit parish has supported and created ample opportunities for the community to further grow, develop its functions and activities from celebrating mass in Swahili twice a month to every Sunday. Throughout the time of the community’s presence and with the generous dedication and sacrifice of many of its members, the community has grown and developed into a dedicated and committed Christian community while preserving its own African identity and cultural heritage. Holy Spirit Swahili Community of Kent (formerly Holy Spirit Swahili Catholic community in the Archdiocese of Seattle) mission is to evangelize and unite the Swahili speaking catholic community in its journey of faith and desire to remain strongly rooted in our Catholic faith and tradition as a community of believers.

Under the pastoral care of Father Vince Pastro and the Swahili speaking priests, the community offers various, diverse programs and activities to enhance the catholic faith of the community which include Small Christian communities (Jumuiya), men’s catholic group, women’s catholic group, choir, young adults, young parents, youth, and Sunday school.

To honor and acknowledge the Swahili Catholic community, the Archdiocese of Seattle & Father Vince Pastro invited, encouraged and joyfully welcomed the Swahili catholic community to become fully integrated into the life of the parish. The Swahili Catholic Community’s Pastoral Council, Committees, and the faithful overwhelming accepted the invitation and on July 24th, 2011, the Swahili Catholic community integrated into Holy Spirit Parish and now known as Holy Spirit Swahili Catholic community of Kent.
Holy Spirit parish officially recognizes and welcomes members of the Holy Spirit Swahili Catholic community as parishioners of the parish with all its rights and privileges as well as its duties and responsibilities.