A BRIEF HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF ARCHBISHOP FLYNN SECONDARY SCHOOL
Archbishop Flynn Seconadry Secondary School was the dream of Msgr. Matthew Odong who, having seen the devasitating effects of a decade of war in Acholi Sub-region involving the current Uganda Government and the LRA rebels led by Joseph Kony which displaced a million people into the internally displaced camps with most of the social infrustructures especially the schools not performing well academically. Moved by the suffering of the people, Msgr. Matthew Odong felt the need to build a school of quality. His dream was realized with the financial support of his American friends and benefactors.
Msgr. Matthew was introduced to Archbishop Harry John Flynn of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis in the State of Minnesota by his Amrican family friends Dan and Bobbi Vaughan of Long Lake, Orono in Minneapolis. The friendhip between Msgr. Matthew and Archbishop Harry John Flynn became very strong to the extend that every year when Msgr. Matthew Odong went for his annnual visit to the USA, Archbishop Flynn, through Dan and Bobbi Vaughan would invite him for lunch or dinner. Because of the insecurity in Northern Uganda by that time, Archbishop Flynn offered to Msgr. Matthew Odong the opportunity to work in his Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis but Msgr. Matthew declined the offer and told Archbishop Flynn that he prefered to go for one or two months to give progress report to the Board of HOPE FOR UGANDA on various projects being sponsored by the benefactors and to do Mission Appeal before he returns to Uganda. Msgr. felt that his priesthood at that critical time was more needed in his Archdiocese of Gulu Uganda than in USA.
When the dream of founding the School was ready, Msgr. Matthew Odong approached Archbishop Flynn with a request if he could name the School which he was about to build after him (to be called Archbishop Flynn Secondary School), in gratitude and in appreciation for the friendship and generosities of the American people from the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis to which Archbishop Flynn positively responded to Msgr. Matthew with the words ‘Msgr. Matthew , go ahead and build that School. It will be an honor to me’. With those words, Archbishop Flynn Secondary School was born. Paise The Lord!
Since then, the School has grown and continues to grow from strength to strength with a students’ population of about seven hundred(700) who, academically, spiritually, morally and socially are among the best performing Schools in the Country. Many parents appreciate the School’s programs and they desire to send thier children to study there.
Msgr.Matthew Odong is the Founder and Director of this great School named after his friend Archbishop Harry John Flynn of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Futhermore, Msgr. Matthew is so grateful to his American friends and benefectors for supporting the construction and sustainability of the School which is giving HOPE to the young people for a brighter future. May God bless the American friends and benefactors of Archbishop Flynn Secondary School, the School Farm and Sacred Heart Seminary. Now that the school and other projects are operational, Msgr.Matthew Odong apeals to all people of good will to prayerfully consider supporting the needs of Archbishop Flynn Secondary School, the School farm and the formation of priests at Sacred Heart Seminary.
“Affectionately known in the United States of America as the Ice Cream Priest, Monsignor Matthew’s Passion around bringing hope to Uganda has been decades in the making. In addtion to being co-founder of HOPE FOR UGANDA in USA, he served as Rector of Sacred Heart Seminary for 35 years, as Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Gulu for 30 years, Founder and Director of Archbishop Flynn Secondary School in Pader. Furthermore, he is involved in promoting Education in the Archdiocese of Gulu and loves pastoral work. A strong supporter of priests with means of transportation (Motocycles) with the help of his American friends and benefactors. His passion for all people in Northern Uganda is examplified through co-founding Acholi Religious Leaders Peace Initiative where he served as Secretary General for more than 10 years. This Organization’s mission is to provide an interfaith approach to promote advocacy, mediation, and reconciliation to the more than the one million people who were displaced in the camps during the LRA war”, Mark Whilms, President and Board of HOPE FOR UGANDA
