A Calling to Serve

Patrick Twohy, S.J., has devoted a half century to living with and supporting the Native peoples of the Northwest. During these 50 years he has worked closely with many tribes, earning their trust and love for his tireless commitment to share their stories, struggles, loss and joy alongside them.

Recently Fr. Twohy, who came to Seattle University in 2006 after 20 years of working with and living among the Swinomish and Tulalip tribes, officially retired from his duties though his calling—and his legacy—to elevate the voices and stories of Native and Indigenous people continues on. As a Jesuit working with area tribes was a calling that he answered without hesitation. And while at SU he was instrumental in establishing the Indigenous Peoples Institute (IPI), which supports Native American student success and raises awareness about issues of critical importance to local and global Indigenous peoples.

Fr. Twohy, who in retirement resides at Sacred Heart Jesuit Center in Los Gatos, California, says that in the short time he’s been there he’s already heard from many of the tribal members who have become enmeshed in his life over the years as he is considered family to many, the result of building connections, relationships, friendships and trust.

It began in the summer of 1973 when Fr. Twohy was at Gonzaga University and asked to go to a nearby reservation in his capacity as a Jesuit priest. This ask brought him to the Colville tribe in Eastern Washington. 

From the outset it was clear to Fr. Twohy that his work with tribal communities was his vocation—he felt a pull that brought him onto their land and into their lives. 

“It was a conviction, an inspiration that showed itself to me," Fr. Twohy says. "As a Jesuit trainee I spent some summers on reservations. I had good experiences and didn’t feel the tragic pain of it all. 

"There was probably a seed first planted there,” he continues. “I admired the priests that practiced there, helping people often pushed to the margins.”

There was skepticism and uncertainty from some at the outset when he first arrived in Colville. 

“In the beginning, I thought something was wrong with me as no one would talk to me. Then the kids started talking to me. Slowly I was brought into families when the grandmas welcomed me,” Fr. Twohy explains. “It takes time for trust and then friendships to develop. For me the friendships are everything. 

“You become part of others families and peoples. They used to say, ‘you are there for them and they are there for you.’ I have my blood family but I also belong to other families and people,” he continues. “We approach each other with respect and love. When we have that we can be friends forever. Neither person is the other.”

After 11 years working on the Colville reservation, providing spiritual support and guidance, visiting those in the hospital, presiding over funerals and being part of sacred gatherings and ceremonies—all of which he does with all Native populations he works with—Fr. Twohy moved west to work with the Coast Salish tribes in 1985. The Coast Salish covers tribes in the Pacific Northwest coastal areas, Washington, Oregon and up into British Columbia. Fr. Twohy spent 37 years, up until his retirement, working with various tribes in these territories including the Lummi, Muckleshoot and Puyallup tribes. 

A self-professed “Road Man”—a Native term for one who travels from place to place—Fr. Twohy didn’t just “visit” reservations or attend a Native ceremony. He was, essentially from day one, fully invested. That meant learning about everything by listening to tribal members, from the youth to elders to Native healers.

“I wasn’t there to teach. I am a good listener. Whenever the elders were there to tell me anything, I was all ears. I wanted to understand their own ways of life, which I knew were deep and profound,” he says. “There was a reciprocity of respect and honor.”

While there is a history of the Catholic Church connecting with the Native and Indigenous populations, Fr. Twohy acknowledges that there are some who don’t have or want a relationship with the Church and it’s up to each individual to decide if they want to engage. However, there is also a long history of Jesuits working with Native populations and many tribal members embrace their presence. 

“Mainly they see us as priests because Jesuits are the priests they know,” he says. “I was the first Jesuit who lived and worked on the coast. I was always welcomed. They wanted me to know everything that was important to them.”

Fr. Twohy credits Seattle University for committing to the work of supporting Native and Indigenous peoples and amplifying their stories while honoring traditions and providing access to educational opportunities. Specifically, he is grateful for his time working with former President Stephen Sundborg, S.J., current president Eduardo Peñalver, past and present faculty including Ted Fortier and Rob Efird and Christina Roberts, director of the IPI. As a measure of progress, he points to the inauguration of President Peñalver, which included Native speaker Jill LaPointe (granddaughter of Vi Hilbert) as part of the official program, and the ongoing initiatives spearheaded by the IPI and Roberts.

“Professors on their own are doing tremendous things. We just need to build on that, to indigenize the community as much as we can,” he says. “The dream is to eventually, through very serious fundraising efforts, offer free tuition to any Native students who apply to attend Seattle U. It’s a long-term goal.”

When he looks back at the work he’s done with Native populations over these last five decades it is, without a doubt, the enduring connections and true bonds of friendship that resonate most strongly.

“When I first came to the rez it was pretty rough in those days. But there was a question in me, ‘Would it be possible, as a white man, representing the Church, lumped together with colonialism, to reach across the wall and the lines of race,’” he says. “My question was answered that it was absolutely possible to form bonds of friendship that are so real, so lasting, that they reach into the next world."

Endowment in His Honor
In 2019, Patrick Twohy, S.J., was celebrated for his work with Native peoples as part of “Go Deep with IPI,” an event hosted by Seattle University’s Indigenous Peoples Institute (IPI.) Three hundred guests, including representatives from a number of tribes and Native communities, took part in the celebration, through which more than $195,000 was raised for the Indigenous Peoples Institute Patrick Twohy, S.J. Endowment. The endowment supports events, academic programs and indigenous students at the university. 

Supporting the endowments dedicated to the Indigenous Peoples Institute, both the Indigenous Peoples Institute Patrick Twohy, S.J. Endowment and the IPI Endowed Scholarship Fund remain priorities for Seattle University. Contact Katie Chapman in University Advancement, chapmank@seattleu.edu or (206) 398-4401 to learn more or to make a gift.