About St. Augustine By The Sea · Honolulu, Hawaii
St. Augustine by the Sea Catholic Church is the only Catholic parish inside Waikiki and one of the oldest in Hawaii, having ministered to Catholics in the neighborhood — both residents and the millions of visitors who pour through Waikiki each year — since 1854. Located at 130 Ohua Avenue just off Kalākaua Avenue, it falls under the Diocese of Honolulu and is staffed by the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary (SS.CC.), the same religious order that brought Father Saint Damien de Veuster and Saint Marianne Cope to the Hawaiian Islands. The parish is distinguished by its striking Mid-Century Modern sanctuary of 1962, its stained glass of St. Augustine of Hippo, and its mission to welcome the global traveling Catholic community to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in the heart of Honolulu.
- Established
- 1854
- Patron
- Saint Augustine of Hippo
- Rector
- Very Rev. Lane K. Akiona, SS.CC.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Honolulu (Vicariate of East Honolulu)
Why belong here
St. Augustine by the Sea is the only Catholic church physically inside Waikiki — Hawaii's densest urban area and its tourism heart — and roughly 80% of weekend Mass attendance comes from visitors, which makes the parish feel at once deeply local and proudly international, with Masses celebrated in English every day of the week. The parish community welcomes worshippers through active liturgical ministries (altar servers, lectors, music ministers, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, hospitality, art & environment) and small-group life, while remaining the custodian of the story of Saint Damien of Molokai and Saint Marianne Cope through the Damien and Marianne of Molokai Education Center. Belonging here means joining a Waikiki congregation unlike any other in the islands — one whose weekend congregation of 300–400 people commonly represents every state and many nations.
Mass times at St. Augustine By The Sea
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM (outside the main doors of the Church on Ohua Avenue)
- By appointment — call the Parish Office
History of the Parish
The parish was founded in 1854 by Father Modestus Favens, SS.CC. — it is the third-oldest Catholic parish in Hawaii. For its first four decades the original Waikiki chapel saw only Sunday devotions and religious instruction; regular Mass began in 1898 when Father Valentin H. Franckx, SS.CC. began saying Sunday Mass there for American soldiers at Camp McKinley during the Spanish-American War. A permanent church was blessed on August 28, 1901 (the feast of St. Augustine) by Bishop Gulstan Ropert; it was enlarged in 1910 and again in 1925. In 1927 the chapel became a quasi-parish with Father Emile Rogers as pastor, and in 1932 it was raised to full-parish status, also opening St. Augustine School under Father Emile. The present sanctuary replaced the termite-damaged wooden church in 1962, and Father Lane K. Akiona has led major restoration and the construction of the heritage center since 2006.
- 1854 — Father Modestus Favens, SS.CC. builds the first chapel in Waikiki.
- 1898 — Father Valentin H. Franckx, SS.CC. begins regular Sunday Mass for soldiers.
- 1901 Aug 28 — Permanent church blessed by Bishop Gulstan Ropert on the feast of St. Augustine.
- 1910, 1925 — Church enlarged; entrance eventually moved toward Kalākaua Avenue.
- 1927 Feb 4 — Becomes a quasi-parish; 1932 — becomes a full parish.
- 1959 — Diocese announces the old church will be razed; school later closes in 1980.
- 1961–1962 — Architect George W. McLaughlin designs the present sanctuary; blessed by Bishop James J. Sweeney on Aug. 16, 1962.
- 2006 — Father Lane K. Akiona, SS.CC. becomes pastor; major roof and interior restoration follow.
- 2018 — Groundbreaking for the Damien and Marianne of Molokai Education Center.
Clergy & Staff
The parish is staffed by the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary (SS.CC.) and supported by a lay staff. Current pastor Father Lane K. Akiona — a Moloka'i-born Sacred Hearts priest — has shepherded the parish since 2006; he is assisted by Parochial Vicar Father Clyde Guerreiro, SS.CC., Deacon Keith Cabiles, and a small office team.
- Very Rev. Lane K. Akiona, SS.CC. — Pastor
- Rev. Clyde Guerreiro, SS.CC. — Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Keith Cabiles — Active Ministry
- Brandon Akiona — Business Manager
- Anne Harpham — Pastoral Associate
- Beverly Tavake — Secretary
- Sauliloa Ngata — Bookkeeper
Liturgical Ministries
The parish frames its liturgical ministries as "the work of the people" — service to the gathered faithful at the source and summit of Catholic life. There are no formal prerequisites; an open heart and a willingness to say "yes" to God's call is all that's asked. The ministries listed on the parish's own Liturgical Ministry page are Altar Servers, Music Ministers, Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (including those who bring Communion to the Sick & Homebound), Ministers of Hospitality, and the Art & Environment team.
- Altar Server — assisting clergy during Mass
- Music Minister — leading the faithful in sung prayer
- Lector — bringing the Word of God to life for the faithful
- Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion
- Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion to the Sick & Homebound
- Minister of Hospitality — welcoming the faithful to Mass
- Art & Environment — enhancing the liturgical seasons
Damien and Marianne of Molokai Education Center
Fronting the parish on Kalākaua Avenue — Waikiki's busiest pedestrian path — the Damien and Marianne of Molokai Education Center is dedicated to telling the story of Hawaii's two saints (St. Damien de Veuster and St. Marianne Cope) and the people of the Kalaupapa leprosy settlement. The parish had long maintained a smaller Damien Museum on site; the master plan for the current center was finalized in 2009 under Father Lane Akiona. After a previous heritage center (operating 2010–2013) closed due to a rent hike, groundbreaking took place on April 15, 2018, and construction was completed in 2019. A parish Education Center webpage notes it is dedicated to telling the story of the two saints and the people of Kalaupapa; the on-site exhibits are designed to be open to the public free or at a small charge. The parish also coordinates with the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace downtown, where first-class relics of both saints are housed.
- Dedicated to St. Damien of Moloka'i and St. Marianne Cope and the people of Kalaupapa
- Located on the Kalākaua Avenue frontage of the parish campus
- Initiated under the 2009 master plan; groundbreaking April 15, 2018
- Coordinates with the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace and the National Park Service at Kalaupapa
Sacraments & Devotions
Beyond the regular Mass and confession schedule, the parish offers a Wedding Anniversary Blessing for couples whose marriage is validly recognized by the Catholic Church. The parish notes that it does not perform "renewal of vows" ceremonies — the Catholic Church has not proposed a ritual for the renewal of marriage vows — but arranges anniversary blessings at a regularly scheduled Mass upon verification of a Catholic-issued marriage certificate. There is also a Holy Communion ministry to the Sick & Homebound.
- Wedding Anniversary Blessing (advance arrangements required; no walk-ins)
- Communion to the Sick & Homebound via the EMHC ministry
- Confession by appointment in addition to the Saturday 3:00–3:45 PM window
Architecture & The Sanctuary
The present sanctuary, dedicated in 1962, is one of Hawaii's notable Mid-Century Modern religious buildings, designed by Honolulu architect George W. McLaughlin. Its copper-clad roof is a Waikiki landmark, visible above the surrounding low-rise buildings along the Ohua/Kalākaua frontage. Concrete inverted "V" frames — symbolic of hands in prayer — both structure the building and frame the stained-glass windows; inside, plastered steel beams continue the V motif, with wood-plank ceilings between them. There are no traditional wall-mounted Stations of the Cross; the stained glass themselves serve that purpose. The original plan for a rose window above the entrance was replaced by a striking stained-glass depiction of Saint Augustine of Hippo, the patron of the parish since 1901.
- Mid-Century Modern, designed by George W. McLaughlin
- Blessed by Bishop James J. Sweeney on Aug. 16, 1962
- Copper-clad roof; concrete inverted "V" frames (hands in prayer)
- Plastered steel beams and wood-plank ceilings
- Stained glass serves as the Stations of the Cross
- Stained glass of St. Augustine of Hippo at the entrance
Pastor History
The parish has been served by Sacred Hearts missionaries from its founding. The succession of (named) pastors is documented in the parish's own About page and the Wikipedia entry — Fr. Modestus Favens (founder, 1854); Bishop Gulstan Ropert (who blessed the 1901 church); Fr. Valentin H. Franckx (the first resident pastor, from 1898); Fr. Emile Rogers (1927–1937, who opened St. Augustine School); and Fr. Lane K. Akiona (pastor since 2006, restoration leader and architect of the heritage center).
- Fr. Modestus Favens, SS.CC. — founder, 1854
- Msgr. Gulstan Ropert, SS.CC. — blessed the 1901 church
- Fr. Valentin H. Franckx, SS.CC. — resident pastor from 1898
- Fr. Emile Rogers, SS.CC. — pastor 1927–1937
- Fr. Lane K. Akiona, SS.CC. — pastor from 2006
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Modestus Favens, SS.CC.1854
Built the first chapel in Waikiki out of coconut fronds and timber from a ship wrecked near Diamond Head; Mass was seldom said there in this period.
- Msgr. Gulstan Ropert, SS.CC.1898
Bishop who, at the soldiers' request during the Spanish-American War, authorized the first regular Masses for troops at Camp McKinley and dedicated the 1901 church.
- Father Valentin H. Franckx, SS.CC.1898–c.1927
First resident pastor; oversaw construction of the 1901 church, its enlargements in 1910 and 1925, and was succeeded as pastor when the parish became quasi-parish in 1927.
- Father Emile Rogers, SS.CC.1927–1937
Succeeded Father Valentin; oversaw the opening of St. Augustine School (kindergarten and a six-grade school). Under him St. Augustine became a full parish in 1932.
- Father Lane K. Akiona, SS.CC.2006–present
Took over amid roof-leak issues; led restoration of the sanctuary, refinishing of the terrazzo floor, new lighting, and the 2009 master plan that produced the Damien and Marianne of Molokai Education Center. A Moloka'i-born Sacred Hearts priest later elected Provincial of the U.S. Province.