The year 2027 will mark a notable occasion for Hawaiian Catholics, as they will celebrate 200 years of Catholicism on the archipelago.
The first Catholic missionaries didn’t arrive in Hawaii until 1827, and they faced steep challenges in those early years:
The first official missionary effort in Hawaii began in 1827, when three priests and three brothers of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary (SS.CC) arrived in the islands and celebrated Mass in a grass hut in Honolulu.
A French warship appeared off the coast of Honolulu and threatened to fire on the city in 1839, however, prompting King Kamehameha III to issue the Edict of Toleration in 1839. Catholic missionaries were now free to evangelize, and Hawaiians were free to accept and practice the Catholic faith.
There was a significant New England Congregationalist missionary effort underway on the islands, however, who had a friendly relationship with the Hawaiian royal family and saw Catholic missionaries as hostile competitors. The priests were expelled in 1831, and native Hawaiians who had adopted the Catholic faith were subject to persecution.
Toleration and tragedy
Catholics were allowed to worship freely on the islands, but their troubles were far from over. Just a year after the Edict of Toleration was issued, the small community of Hawaiian Catholics suffered a terrible blow when almost their entire leadership perished at sea.
Bishop Rouchouze, the first bishop of Hawaii, served in his role for only two years before he left for France in 1842 to procure personnel and supplies. On the return trip in 1843, he brought with him six priests, one subdeacon, seven lay brothers and 10 religious sisters to help serve in the Hawaiian mission, but tragically their ship was lost at sea and all perished.
It’s hard to even comprehend what a loss this was to the fledgling Catholic community! Despite these terrible setbacks, the faith of those early Hawaiian Catholics prevailed.
They managed to dedicate their first cathedral on August 15, 1843, with about 800 Catholics in attendance, an incredible number considering the mission was only four years old and had just lost 25 members.
Faith in “Paradise”
Today those 800 have multiplied considerably as the Hawaiian islands are home to some 263,000 Catholics, about 20% of the population.
The Aloha State might be the state with the most options for Mass in different languages, as you can find Masses in Chuukese, Ilocano, Visayan, American Sign Language, Hawaiian, Korean, Latin, Spanish, Tagalog, English, and Vietnamese!
Hawaii is home to a number of beautiful and historically significant Catholic sites that you won’t want to miss if you’re lucky enough to be visiting or living in “Paradise.”
1
Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace, Honolulu
The Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace is the mother church and cathedral of the Diocese of Honolulu, home to the Bishop of Honolulu, and site where the two saints of Hawaii rest. The cathedral’s walls, made from coral blocks from the Kaka’ako shores, hold a rich history.
Today, although its surroundings have changed from jungles of wood and dirt to concrete and steel, the Cathedral Basilica remains a place of pilgrimage in Honolulu’s lively downtown district for the island’s Catholics. The incredibly beautiful building is a marvel of historical architecture and home to a bustling parish community.
The cathedral is also the resting grounds of the remains of St. Marianne Cope and a relic of St. Damien de Veuster. Within the cathedral is a shrine where churchgoers can pay their respects to these two figures who gave their lives to serve the Hawaiian community in God’s name.
Besides the shrine, don’t miss a visit to the statue in the courtyard of Malia O Ka Malu (Our Lady of Peace in the Hawaiian language).
2
St. Peter’s by the Sea Church, Kailua-Kona
A popular subject for postcards, photographs, and weddings, the “Little Blue Church” practically sits in Kahuluʻu Bay. St. Peter’s by the Sea Church was made of clapboard in the 1880s, with a corrugated-tin roof.
According to legend, an ancient Hawaiian temple once stood on the site and Hawaiian royalty prayed at the temple before hitting the waves to surf the bay.
Today, the church is a mission of nearby St. Michael the Archangel Church, along with three other historic mission churches. St. Peter’s does not have its own regular schedule of devotions, but the larger parish serves over 1,400 households with 50+ active ministries and a steady stream of visitors.
3
St. Benedict’s Painted Church, Honaunau-Napoopoo
Overlooking beautiful and historic Kealakekua Bay, St. Benedict’s Painted Church is a fascinating place to visit on your journey to the Big Island of Hawaii. Located in the famous Kona coffee growing region, it is the jewel of South Kona, at a place called Honaunau. While it is an important historical site, it is still a vibrant parish, with outreach programs to take care of those in need and to provide medical services for the local community.
This unforgettable church was erected in 1899 by Father John Velghe. Without any professional training, and using house paint on ordinary wood, he beautified the church with his paintings. In those days few Hawaiians could read and so he taught with pictures, with great success! Today this beautiful structure is a popular destination for weddings.
4
Star of the Sea Painted Church, Kalapana
The Star of the Sea Painted Church was built in 1927 under the direction of the Belgian Catholic missionary priest Father Evarist Gielen, who painted the upper section of the church interior. Father Evarist used house paints mixed with linseed oil to decorate the church with vivid scriptural scenes and devotional drawings. Other visitors lent their artistic touches to the chapel in the 1960s and 1970s. Today the beautiful site is on the National Register of Historic Places.
In 1990, the church was moved to its present location just ahead of an advancing lava flow, roughly 1.5 miles east of its previous location. Star of the Sea is owned today by the Kalapana ‘Ohana Association and no longer serves as an active Catholic house of worship. Visitors are still able to stop by and appreciate the church’s historical heritage, however, and local priests volunteer to celebrate Mass there on the first Friday of each month.
5
Co-Cathedral of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, Honolulu
The Co-Cathedral of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus was established as a parish in 1931, but did not become a co-cathedral of the diocese until 1984, when the bishop at the time found a need to have a larger space for pontifical liturgies. The Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace had become too small to accommodate the increased population since the vicariate apostolic was elevated to a diocese.
In 1984, bishop petitioned St. John Paul II to elevate St. Theresa Church to the dignity of a co-cathedral, as it is larger in physical size, and the church was consecrated as co-cathedral of the diocese in 1985.
BONUS SITE
Kalaupapa National Historical Park
No doubt you’re familiar with the story of St. Damien of Molokai, a Belgian priest who spent his life serving and ministering to people afflicted with leprosy and banished to a remote Hawaiian island. The colony where he lived is now Kalaupapa National Historical Park.
No person is as central to the history of Kalawao County and Kalaupapa Peninsula as Joseph De Veuster, or, as he is best known to the world, Father Damien. He arrived during the early days of Kalawao’s history, when people with Hansen’s disease (once called leprosy) were being rounded up throughout the Hawaiian Islands and shipped to the isolated settlement on Molokai. Here is how the National Park Service describes St. Damien:
Slowly, Kalawao became a place to live rather than a place to die, for Father Damien offered hope. He spoke the Hawaiian language. Assisted by patients, he built houses, constructed a water system, and planted trees. Fr. Damien also organized schools, bands, and choirs. He provided medical care for the living and buried the dead. Furthermore, he expanded St. Philomena Catholic Church. Not a “retiring” personality, Damien did not hesitate to badger the Hawaiian government and his church for more resources.
Heightened awareness and a cure
Fr. Damien’s efforts attracted worldwide attention, resulting in a heightened awareness of the disease and the plight of its victims. Other priests and religious sisters followed him to the island, the best known of whom is St. Marianne Cope.
Patients with Hansen’s disease were forced to move to Molokai from 1866 to 1969, when a cure became widely available. Today the settlement is a National Historic Site, although a few resident patients still choose to make their homes there.
The site is very difficult to access, requiring a specially planned group trip and a plane ride. Your best bet is joining the Bishop of Hawaii on his annual pilgrimage there. You can learn more about how to get there here.
And today we celebrate...