About St. Ann · Kaneohe, Hawaii
St. Ann Church is a historic Catholic parish in Kaneohe on the Windward side of Oahu, Hawaii, and one of the oldest Catholic communities in the islands, with roots reaching back to 1841. The parish is currently served by priests of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary (SS.CC.), the same religious community that founded it and that produced Saint Damien of Molokai. Today's parish worships in a church built in 2000 and dedicated in 2001, on the same He'eia/Kaneohe land where native Hawaiian Catholics first gathered in a grass church under missionary care. Beyond its deep history, St. Ann is a living parish with a food pantry, a ministry to the homeless, religious education, and an active liturgical and music ministry.
- Established
- 1841
- Patron
- St. Ann (Saint Anne, mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Rev. Patrick Tukidia, SS.CC. (Parish Administrator)
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu (Vicariate of Windward Oahu)
Why belong here
St. Ann is one of Hawaii's oldest Catholic parishes, founded in 1841 and still in daily use on the same He'eia land given to the Sacred Hearts missionaries. Parishioners worship in a church built in 2000–2001, attend daily Mass, and serve the Windward community through Project Share (food pantry and financial assistance), the City of Peace (COP) ministry to the homeless, support for mothers in crisis, a Religious Education program, a Prayer Chain, and a wide range of liturgical roles from lectors and Eucharistic ministers to altar servers, tech ministers, and choirs. It is a parish where Hawaiian Catholic heritage, SS.CC. missionary tradition, and active Windward Oahu outreach come together.
Mass times at St. Ann
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday at 4:00 PM
- Also by appointment
Parish History and Hawaiian Catholic Heritage
St. Ann's story begins with Hawaiian Catholics who fled persecution in Honolulu over the Pali Trail and settled in the Ko'olau area. Sacred Hearts Father Robert Walsh ministered to them, and in 1841 Father Robert Martial Janvier, SS.CC. established the He'eia mission with a grass church — the first St. Ann's. The mission received six acres of land from Chief Abner Paki, in gratitude for kerosene given to him. A coral stone church followed in 1852, a 'Temporary' Church in 1955, and the present church in 2000–2001.
- First Baptism recorded September 1841 — second-oldest Catholic parish in Hawaii
- Land given by Chief Abner Paki (father of Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, hanai father of Queen Lili'uokalani)
- 1852 coral stone church built with coral carried by human chain from Mokapu peninsula to He'eia
- 1955 'Temporary' Church replaced the coral stone church
- Present church built in 2000 under Fr. Clarence Guerreiro, SS.CC., dedicated 2001
- Ministered continuously by the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary (SS.CC.)
Pastoral Leadership and Staff
The parish is led by priests of the SS.CC. community. Rev. Patrick Tukidia, SS.CC. serves as Parish Administrator, with Rev. Lomano Fifita, SS.CC. as Parochial Vicar and Rev. Edward Popish, SS.CC. in residence, along with Rev. J. Micheal Kumar, SS.CC. Two deacons — Ricardo Burgos and Billy Whitfield — are in active ministry. Lay staff include the secretary, business manager, pastoral associate, music coordinator, and director of religious education.
- Rev. Patrick Tukidia, SS.CC. — Parish Administrator
- Rev. Lomano Fifita, SS.CC. — Parochial Vicar
- Rev. Edward Popish, SS.CC. — In Residence
- Rev. J. Micheal Kumar, SS.CC.
- Deacon Ricardo Burgos — Active Ministry
- Deacon Billy Whitfield — Active Ministry
- Dona Clamucha — Secretary
- Melita Hernaez-Yasuda — Business Manager
- Barbara Honda — Pastoral Associate
- Noel Jaderstrom — Music Ministry
- Robert Noguchi — Director of Religious Education
- Carla Castro — Business Office and Project Share Coordinator
Religious Education and Faith Formation
St. Ann's Religious Education program provides a unified program of spiritual learning and growth spanning preschool, special education, elementary, junior and senior high school, and parents and adults of all ages. Robert Noguchi serves as Director of Religious Education.
- Preschool through senior high faith formation
- Adult faith formation and parent catechesis
- Director of Religious Education: Robert Noguchi
Liturgical Ministries
Parishioners serve at Mass in many roles: Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist, Lectors, Cantors, Choir members, Altar Servers, Hospitality Ministers, and Tech Ministers (sound, lighting, projection). The Young Adult Choir leads praise and worship at the 5 PM Sunday Mass at least once a month. Eucharistic Ministers also bring Communion to the homebound, and Bereavement Ministers help families with funeral arrangements.
- Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist — contact Howard K. ([email protected])
- Eucharistic Ministers to the Home Bound — contact Trudy Rawlins ([email protected])
- Lectors — contact Bernie Reeves ([email protected])
- Music Ministers — cantors, instrumentalists, choir
- Young Adult Choir — 5 PM Sunday Mass — contact [email protected]
- Altar Servers — contact Casey Peterson ([email protected])
- Tech Ministers — contact Ryan Brown ([email protected])
- Bereavement Ministers — contact Ku'ulei H. ([email protected])
- Flowers and Decor Ministers — contact Bob Guro ([email protected])
- Altar Linens — contact Wendy Calizar ([email protected])
Outreach and Charity
St. Ann serves the Windward Oahu community through several outreach ministries. Project Share helps individuals and families in need with a food pantry and financial assistance. City of Peace (COP) prepares and serves weekly breakfasts to people experiencing homelessness on Saturday, Tuesday, and Thursday mornings. Moms in Need supports pregnant women in crisis with guidance, support, and prayer.
- Project Share — food pantry and financial assistance — contact Carla Castro ([email protected])
- City of Peace (COP) — Saturday, Tuesday, and Thursday morning breakfasts for the houseless
- Moms in Need — support for pregnant women in crisis
- Prayer Chain — weekly emailed prayer intentions from parishioners
Leadership and Stewardship
Parish leadership and stewardship structures include the Parish Pastoral Council (PPC), nine members nominated by fellow parishioners and selected by the Pastor on staff recommendation, serving three-year terms to advise on the parish's future direction. The Stewardship & Development Committee coordinates parish giving and engagement.
- Parish Pastoral Council — 9 members, 3-year terms
- Stewardship & Development Committee — contact Titi Kau'ilani Ricafort ([email protected])
Sacred Hearts (SS.CC.) Legacy and Saint Ann School
St. Ann has been ministered by the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary since its founding — the same community that produced Saint Damien of Molokai. A school was attached to the parish almost from the beginning: catechetical and academic classes started in 1841, a boarding school for eight boys opened in 1871 under Fr. Mattias Limburg, SS.CC., and a co-ed day school followed in 1872. The McCabe family ran the school until the Maryknoll Sisters arrived in 1927. The school became Hawaii's oldest Catholic school and, with the Early Learning Center, closed in 2021 after roughly 180 years of continuous Catholic education.
- 1841 — first catechetical and academic classes for district children
- 1871 — boarding school for eight boys under Fr. Mattias Limburg, SS.CC.
- 1872 — co-ed day school begun
- 1927 — Maryknoll Sisters arrive to teach
- 1960–1969 — all-girls high school
- Mid-1960s — present elementary wing built
- 1989 — Early Learning Center opens (Sept. 11, 1989)
- 2021 — St. Ann School and ELC close after ~180 years
Visit, Contact, and Giving
St. Ann is at 46-129 Haiku Road, Kaneohe, HI 96744, phone (808) 247-3092, fax (808) 235-0717. The rectory email is [email protected] and online giving is available through the Diocese of Honolulu. Parish office hours on the day of visit are 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM.
- Address: 46-129 Haiku Road, Kaneohe, HI 96744-4049
- Phone: (808) 247-3092
- Fax: (808) 235-0717
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://saintannhawaii.org/
- Online giving via catholichawaii.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Robert Walsh, SS.CC.1830s–1841
First Sacred Hearts missionary to minister to Windward side Catholics who had fled Honolulu persecution.
- Father Robert Martial Janvier, SS.CC.1841–
Established the He'eia mission and built the first grass church; first Baptism recorded September 1841.
- Father Mattias Limburg, SS.CC.1871–
Opened the boarding school for eight boys in 1871; co-ed day school followed in 1872.
- Father Clarence Guerreiro, SS.CC.2000–
Led the construction of the present-day church, which began May 4, 2000 and was dedicated in 2001.