Hawaii Catholic Concierge — Mass Times, Churches & Catholic Pilgrimages in Hawaiʻi

Our Story • 1827–2027

The Bicentennial Story

Two centuries ago a small mission crossed the Pacific and planted the faith that would give Hawai‘i two canonized saints. This is that story — told in the dates every island Catholic should know.

1827

The Arrival

The First Mission Lands at Honolulu

The first Catholic mission arrived July 7, 1827 aboard La Comète, led by Father Alexis Bachelot, SS.CC. (Picpus Fathers). Their first Masses were celebrated in a humble grass hut — the seed of the Church in Hawai‘i.

1839

Freedom of Faith

The Edict of Toleration

The Edict of Toleration was signed by King Kamehameha III on June 17, 1839. Catholics could worship openly, build churches, and the mission entered a new era of growth across the Kingdom.

1843

Mother Church

Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace

The Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace in Honolulu is the oldest Catholic cathedral in continuous use in the United States. Dedicated in 1843 on the Fort Street Mall, it remains the mother church of the Diocese of Honolulu — and was elevated to a minor basilica in 2014.

1864
& 1883

Saints of Kalaupapa

Damien & Marianne

Saint Damien of Molokai arrived in 1864 and Saint Marianne Cope arrived in 1883; both are saints of Kalaupapa. Damien volunteered for the Hansen’s disease settlement in 1873 and gave his life there in 1889. Mother Marianne arrived with six Franciscan sisters and served the settlement for 35 years. Both were canonized in the 21st century — Hawai‘i’s gift to the universal Church.

Today

One Diocese, All Islands

The Diocese of Honolulu

The Diocese of Honolulu counts 92 parishes, missions and chapels and 200,000+ Catholics. From Honolulu to Hilo, Kōloa to Kalaupapa, the faith of 1827 is lived daily in every island community — the heart of our bicentennial celebration in 2027.

Find a Church • All Islands

Catholic Churches of the
Hawaiian Islands

For the bicentennial, Hawai‘i is listed in full — all 92 parishes, missions, and chapels of the Diocese of Honolulu, island by island. Tap any church for its photo, address, Mass times, and directions.

All 92 churches of the Diocese of Honolulu. Mass times are as published by each parish — please confirm on the parish website before you go.

Daily Devotion

Daily Patron Saint

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Begin each morning with the saint of the day — their story, their island connection, and a short prayer. Featured saint:

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Saint Damien of Molokai

Feast Day • May 10 • Priest & Missionary

BornJan 3, 1840 — Tremelo, Belgium

Arrived Hawai‘i1864 — ordained in Honolulu

KalaupapaVolunteered 1873 — served 16 years

CanonizedOct 11, 2009 — Pope Benedict XVI

“I make myself a leper with the lepers, to gain all to Jesus Christ.”

Born Jozef De Veuster, Father Damien came to Hawai‘i as a Picpus missionary — the same congregation as Father Bachelot. When he learned of the suffering at the Kalaupapa settlement on Moloka‘i, he asked to go and never left. He built homes, churches, and an orphanage, dressed wounds, and buried the dead with his own hands.

He contracted Hansen’s disease himself and died at Kalaupapa on April 15, 1889, at age 49. Today he is co-patron of the Diocese of Honolulu — and the reason pilgrims from around the world journey to Moloka‘i.

Prayer: Saint Damien, servant of the outcast, teach us to stay when compassion costs us something. Pray for Hawai‘i, and for all who feel alone in suffering. Amen.

Patron of KalaupapaCo-Patron of Honolulu DiocesePicpus Fathers — SS.CC.

Learn the Faith

Faith Q&A

Honest questions, answered from a Catholic perspective — for the curious visitor, the returning Catholic, and everyone in between. Tap a question to open the answer.

The rosary is a meditation on the life of Christ through the eyes of his mother, Mary. The repeated Hail Marys are not “vain repetition” but a rhythm — like a heartbeat — that quiets the mind so the heart can contemplate the mysteries: Christ’s birth, ministry, death, and resurrection. Catholics don’t worship Mary; they ask her to pray with and for them, as you might ask a friend to pray for you.

A basilica is a church given a special title by the Pope for its historical, artistic, or spiritual significance. A “minor basilica” — like the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace in Honolulu, elevated in 2014 — has a special bond with the Pope, may display the papal coat of arms, and is called to be a model of liturgy for its diocese. Every diocese’s cathedral is its mother church; a basilica carries an added honor.

Catholics believe the Church is one family across heaven and earth. Saints are men and women whose lives show that holiness is possible — and who, now with God, intercede for us. Honoring a saint is like honoring a beloved kupuna: we learn from their example and ask for their prayers. In Hawai‘i, that family includes St. Damien and St. Marianne of Kalaupapa.

Yes — everyone is welcome at Mass, Catholic or not. Visitors are invited to pray, listen, and be present for the whole liturgy. At Communion, Catholics who are prepared receive the Eucharist; guests are welcome to come forward for a blessing (arms crossed over the chest) or remain in prayer in the pew. You’ll find Mass times in the church directory above.

Catholics believe that at Mass, the bread and wine truly become the Body and Blood of Christ — the Real Presence. That is why the Eucharist is called “the source and summit of the Christian life.” It is also why you will see such reverence — genuflection, silence, and adoration — around the tabernacle in every island church.

Island Parishes • Annual Observances

Catholic Events Calendar

Feast days, pilgrimages, and bicentennial celebrations across the islands — annual observances of the Diocese of Honolulu. Confirm dates and times with the parish before you go.

May 10Feast Day

Feast of Saint Damien

Mass and pilgrimage in honor of Hawai‘i’s saint, with reflections on his ministry at Kalaupapa.

◆ St. Damien of Moloka‘i • Kaunakakai, Moloka‘i

JuneSolemnity

Corpus Christi Procession

Eucharistic procession through the parish neighborhood, led by the Knights of Columbus and parish families.

◆ Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace • Honolulu, O‘ahu

July 7Bicentennial

200th Anniversary of the First Mission

Commemorating July 7, 1827 — the arrival of La Comète and Father Bachelot. A centerpiece of the 1827–2027 bicentennial year.

◆ Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace • Honolulu, O‘ahu

AugustParish Feast

Maria Lanakila Parish Celebration

Parish feast day gathering in historic Lahaina — Mass, food, and fellowship under the “Victorious Mary.”

◆ Maria Lanakila • Lahaina, Maui

OctoberFeast Day

Feast of Saint Marianne Cope

Novena and Mass honoring Mother Marianne and the Franciscan sisters of Kalaupapa (her feast is January 23; celebrations vary by parish).

◆ Parishes across the Diocese of Honolulu

WeeklyAll Year

Rosary & Adoration at Island Parishes

Weekly rosary, Eucharistic adoration, and Bible study — the everyday rhythm of parish life on every island.

◆ See the Church Directory above

Catholic Collection • In the Store Now

Faith You Can Wear
in the Islands

Five sacred designs, made for island life — in the water, at Mass, and everywhere aloha carries you. Each design comes for men and women in three styles. The collection is live now in the Saints of Hawaiʻi Shirt Store — the home of all our Catholic shirt collections: the saints of Hawaiʻi, Ave Maria, the tropical Catholic line, and the Lent, Advent and Easter collections.

Catholic Collection long-sleeve water shirts — five designs for men and women, front and back

Long-Sleeve Water Shirts — front & back, Men (left) and Women (right). Use the tabs to see the other two styles.

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1. Sacred Heart

Deep red & blush • Gold tropical foliage • Flaming heart on the back

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2. Marian

Sky blue & white • Crowned “M” monogram • Rosary & lilies

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3. Eucharist

Ivory & gold • Chalice, wheat & grapes • IHS monstrance sunburst

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4. Holy Spirit

Teal & aqua • Descending dove • Hibiscus & island flowers

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5. Crucifix

Navy & lavender • Full crucifix on the back • Palm & floral sleeves

Every design × 3 styles (water shirt, aloha button-down, polo) × Men & Women — 30 pieces in the full Catholic Collection.

Coming 2027 • A Year of Pilgrimage

48-State Pilgrimage — Coming 2027

One state a week. Forty-eight weeks. The most unique Catholic church in every state — basilicas, shrines, and the relics they treasure — beginning at home in Hawai‘i for the bicentennial.

Follow the journey state by state as we showcase one extraordinary church at a time: why it was chosen, the saints and relics it holds, and what a pilgrim should see, pray, and not miss. Basilicas and churches with notable relics are prioritized — from great cathedrals to hidden mission chapels.

Stop 1 — Sedona, Arizona. The journey departs from Lake Havasu and begins at the Chapel of the Holy Cross in Sedona, February 1, 2027.
One showcase church per state — the most unique or beloved, not just the biggest.
Basilicas first — minor and major basilicas lead the list wherever a state has one.
Relics showcased — first-class relics and the saints behind them, explained with reverence.
A pilgrim’s guide each week — Mass, prayer stops, and the story that makes the place holy ground.

The Hawai‘i Chapter is different — on purpose.
For the bicentennial, Hawai‘i isn’t one church. It’s all of them — every Catholic church in the islands with its location, grouped by island in the directory above. Home gets the full celebration: 200 years, 1827–2027.

48States

48Weeks • 1 per State

Feb 1, 2027Departs Lake Havasu

Jan 2, 2028Journey’s End

Stop 1 — Chapel of the Holy Cross, SedonaArizona • Week One

From Sedona the route crosses the country state by state — Southwest, South, East Coast, New England, Great Lakes, Midwest, Plains, Mountain West, and Pacific — before the final California stop.

Explore the Interactive Map

Where Faith Meets Aloha Spirit