About St. John the Baptist · Honolulu, Hawaii
Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church is a historic parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu, located in the Kalihi district of Honolulu, Hawaiʻi at 2324 Omilo Lane, across the street from Fort Shafter. Founded on May 8, 1844 by the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, it is one of the earliest Catholic parishes in the Hawaiian Islands, opening less than a year after the dedication of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace. Today the parish serves a richly multicultural community with Masses celebrated in English, Spanish, Polish, Samoan, and Ilocano, and it hosts the Neocatechumenal Way as a vital part of its spiritual life.
- Established
- 1844
- Patron
- Saint John the Baptist
- Rector
- Rev. Jarosław Z. Skrzypek, JCL (Parish Administrator)
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu
Why belong here
Saint John the Baptist is a true multicultural Catholic 'ohana in the heart of Kalihi, where English, Spanish, Polish, Samoan, and Ilocano Masses all share one altar and one parish family. It carries nearly 180 years of missionary history founded by the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, and today it is a home for the Neocatechumenal Way, young-adult faith initiatives like The Huaka'i Project, and faith-formation classes for every stage of life. Registering makes it easy to celebrate the sacraments here, receive parish news, and belong to a community that has welcomed wave after wave of immigrants to Hawaiʻi since the 1800s.
Mass times at St. John the Baptist
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 PM – 4:30 PM
- Sunday 11:00 AM – 11:20 AM
- Thursday 7:30 AM – 8:00 AM
- Also by appointment — contact the Parish Office
Adoration times
- Thursday 7:30 AM – 8:00 AM
- Saturday 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM (during the Eucharist Revival Parish Phase, July 2023 – June 2024)
Parish Identity & Mission
Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church describes itself as 'a community of disciples and missionaries of the Lord that stewards the God-given gifts of Time, Talent, and Treasure with joy and love.' The parish lives this out in one of the most ethnically diverse corners of Honolulu, where five languages are celebrated at a single altar each week. The 'ohana (family) language the parish uses reflects its deep roots in the Kalihi community.
- Parish mission statement: 'a community of disciples and missionaries of the Lord that stewards the God-given gifts of Time, Talent, and Treasure with joy and love.'
- Welcomes registered members of the parish 'ohana
History of Saint John the Baptist
Saint John the Baptist traces its origins to July 7, 1827, when the first Catholic missionaries of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary arrived in Hawaiʻi. A year after the dedication of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace in 1843, the parish opened its doors on May 8, 1844. Its original stone chapel was destroyed in a windstorm, the rebuilt chapel was blessed on April 16, 1857, and the present Mediterranean Revival church was completed in 1933 after Father Alphonsus Boumeister, SS.CC., expanded the parish facilities in 1927 to allow a resident pastor.
- Founded May 8, 1844 — second Catholic parish in Honolulu
- Original stone chapel destroyed by a windstorm after 12 years
- Present church (Mediterranean Revival) completed in 1933
- Founder: Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary (SS.CC.)
Kalihi Community & Multicultural Heritage
Located across the street from Fort Shafter in historic Kalihi, the parish once served Native Hawaiians, Portuguese, and Spanish pineapple and sugarcane plantation laborers of the early 1900s. A 1950s wave of Filipino immigration reshaped the community, and today's newest arrivals come from Samoa, Micronesia, and other Pacific Islands — giving the parish its signature five-language Mass schedule.
- Served Native Hawaiian, Portuguese, and Spanish plantation laborers (early 1900s)
- Filipino immigrant wave (1950s)
- Current new arrivals: Samoan, Micronesian, other Pacific Islander
- Polish community served by Father Jarek
Faith Formation & Sacraments
The parish operates faith-formation classes that parishioner registration unlocks, and it prepares children and adults for the Sacraments of Baptism, First Reconciliation, First Holy Communion, Confirmation, and Holy Matrimony. Anointing of the Sick and Reconciliation by appointment round out sacramental life.
- Faith Formation classes (open to registered parishioners)
- Baptism preparation
- First Reconciliation & First Holy Communion
- Confirmation
- Holy Matrimony
- Anointing of the Sick and Reconciliation by appointment
Neocatechumenal Way
Saint John the Baptist is one of the parishes in Honolulu with an established Neocatechumenal Way presence — the post-baptismal Catholic formation endorsed by Saint John Paul II as 'an itinerary of Catholic formation, valid for our society and for our times.' The parish hosts three Neocatechumenal communities, each with named Responsibles and Co-Responsibles, and the Way gathers for Mass every Saturday at 7:00 PM. Initial kerygmatic catecheses are offered as a two-month series of fifteen evening meetings.
- Three Neocatechumenal communities at the parish
- Saturday 7:00 PM Mass celebrated in the Neocatechumenal Way
- Initial catecheses: 15 evening meetings over 2 months, concluding with a 3-day convivence
- Named Responsibles and Co-Responsibles for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Communities listed on the parish website
The Huaka'i Project — Young Adult Ministry
Launched in early 2025, The Huaka'i Project is the parish's young-adult small-group initiative for ages 18–39, run in partnership with the Diocese of Honolulu Office of Evangelization and Catechesis, the University of Notre Dame's McGrath Institute for Church Life, and Lilly Endowment Inc. Small groups meet weekly for 12 weeks (March–May 2025) for faith-sharing and service, with leader training held at St. Anthony Retreat Center in Kalihi Valley.
- Open to young adults ages 18–39
- Weekly small-group meetings for 12 weeks (March–May 2025)
- Includes a service component in the final weeks
- Leader training at St. Anthony Retreat Center, Kalihi Valley (Feb 7–8, 2025)
- Partnership with Notre Dame McGrath Institute for Church Life and Lilly Endowment Inc.
St. John the Baptist School (Historical)
A parish-based Catholic school served Kalihi families for about 60 years before closing on June 30, 2020. By its final year the school had 107 students in preschool through 8th grade — a 40% drop over five years — and only about 55 students had indicated interest in returning for the following year, leaving a projected $100,000 deficit. Catholic Schools Superintendent Michael Rockers and then-parish administrator Diego Alejandro Restrepol oversaw the orderly transition of students, families, and staff to other Catholic schools on Oʻahu.
- Operated roughly 1959 – June 30, 2020
- Final enrollment: 107 students (preschool–8th grade)
- Tuition at closure: $6,290 annually
- Closing decision announced by then-Administrator Diego Alejandro Restrepol
Clergy, Staff & Parish Office
The parish is currently administered by Rev. Jarosław Z. Skrzypek, JCL — a Polish priest known affectionately as 'Father Jarek' — who is supported by a deacon, a business manager, a secretary, and an administrative assistant. The parish office is open at 2324 Omilo Lane and can be reached by phone, fax, or email.
- Rev. Jarosław Z. Skrzypek, JCL — Parish Administrator
- Deacon Peter Soumwei — Active Ministry
- Danielle Burgos — Business Manager
- Bertha Guerrero — Secretary
- Yolanda Guerrero — Administrative Assistant
- Phone: 808-845-0984; Fax: 808-841-6643
Pilgrimages & Special Parish Initiatives
Under Father Jarek, the parish has organized an international pilgrimage to Poland, taking in Kraków, Wawel Cathedral, the Shrine of Divine Mercy, the Wieliczka Salt Mine, the Auschwitz memorial, and the Tatra Mountains. The trip is presented as 'more than sightseeing' — a journey of prayer, renewal, friendship, and encounter with God's mercy.
- Pilgrimage to Poland (organized by Father Jarek)
- Destinations: Kraków, Wawel Cathedral, Divine Mercy Shrine, Wieliczka Salt Mine, Auschwitz, Tatra Mountains
Becoming a Parishioner
Newcomers are invited to register as members of the parish 'ohana. The parish lists five reasons to register: a sense of belonging in the Catholic community, effective parish communication, the support of a faith family, eligibility for faith-formation programs, and eligibility to receive the Sacraments of Baptism, First Reconciliation, First Holy Communion, Confirmation, and Holy Matrimony. Registration is done by filling out a paper form and dropping it off at the parish office.
- Five benefits of registration listed by the parish
- Paper registration form available at the parish office
- Required for faith-formation enrollment and sacramental eligibility
Visit, Contact & Directions
Saint John the Baptist is located in the historic Kalihi district across the street from Fort Shafter. A 'Get Directions' link is featured on the parish website, and the Diocese of Honolulu also provides an interactive parish map. The parish can be reached by phone at 808-845-0984, by fax at 808-841-6643, or by email at [email protected].
- Address: 2324 Omilo Lane, Honolulu, HI 96819-2434
- Phone: 808-845-0984
- Fax: 808-841-6643
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: sjbkalihi.org
- Facebook: facebook.com/sjbkalihi