Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu is an ecclesiastical territory or particular church of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. The diocese is comprised of the entire state of Hawaii and the unincorporated Hawaiian Islands. The diocese is suffragan to the Metropolitan Province of San Francisco which includes the dioceses of Las Vegas, Oakland, Reno, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Rosa and Stockton. The patrons of the Diocese of Honolulu are the Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title of Our Lady of Peace, and Blessed Damien of Molokai.

Missionaries

The first Roman Catholic mission to the Kingdom of Hawaii was established upon the arrival of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, a religious order called the Picpus Fathers, founded by Peter Coudrin during the French Revolution.

Related Topics:
Kingdom of Hawaii - Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary - Religious order - Peter Coudrin - French Revolution

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The first Picpus Fathers departed from Bordeaux aboard the La Comète on November 21, 1826 and stopped in Valparaíso in Chile on February 8, 1827. The Picpus Fathers resumed their trip on February 25. They entered port at Honolulu Harbor on July 7. Having originally been refused entry by Protestant advisors to the king, the Picpus Fathers did not disembark from their ship until July 9. Among the first Picpus Fathers were Abraham Armand and Alexis Bachelot of France, as well as Patrick Short of the United Kingdom. They were joined by six lay brothers.

Related Topics:
Bordeaux - November 21 - 1826 - Valparaíso - Chile - February 8 - 1827 - February 25 - Honolulu Harbor - July 7 - Protestant - July 9 - Abraham Armand - Alexis Bachelot - France - Patrick Short - United Kingdom

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Fathers Armand, Bachelot and Short concelebrated the first Mass in the Hawaiian Islands on Bastille Day, July 14, 1827, in honor of their religious order's French heritage. They performed the first baptism on November 30.

Related Topics:
Mass - Bastille Day - July 14 - 1827 - November 30

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The Picpus Fathers were quick to plunge into the Hawaiian society. They learned the local language, went into the Native Hawaiian community and began preaching to them. They distributed Hawaiian language Bibles and taught the lessons of Jesus from the gospels. Hundreds of Native Hawaiians developed a devotion to Christ and the Virgin Mary as taught by their kindly Catholic missionaries and chose to receive the sacraments of baptism, confirmation and Eucharist. Among the first converts were the royal governors of Oahu, Boki and Kuini Liliha. They would both become pivotal members of the Catholic underground.

Related Topics:
Native Hawaiian - Hawaiian language - Bible - Jesus - Gospel - Virgin Mary - Sacrament - Baptism - Confirmation - Eucharist - Oahu - Boki - Kuini Liliha

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