About St. John Vianney · Kailua, Hawaii
St. John Vianney Catholic Church is a parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu serving the Enchanted Lake neighborhood of Kailua on the windward (eastern) shore of Oahu, Hawaii. Founded in 1962 from a portion of St. Anthony Parish in Kailua and dedicated on February 24, 1963, the parish now counts roughly 600 registered families and operates both an elementary school (K-8, founded 1965) and an Early Learning Center. Its patron is St. John Vianney, the 19th-century French 'Patron of Parish Priests,' and the parish is pastored by Rev. Vincent Vu with Permanent Deacon Jerry Tokars assisting. It offers Sunday Mass in English (plus weekday and Saturday liturgies), a parish school, religious education for children and youth, youth ministry, adoration, and traditional Catholic devotions.
- Established
- 1962
- Patron
- St. John Vianney
- Rector
- Rev. Vincent Vu
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu
Why belong here
St. John Vianney is a welcoming mid-sized parish of about 600 families in the heart of Kailua's Enchanted Lake neighborhood, offering the full rhythm of Catholic life: daily and Sunday Mass, weekday Communion services, monthly adoration, Saturday confession, anointing of the sick, an active religious education program, a year-round parish school (K-8) and Early Learning Center, youth ministry for grades 6-12 (including the weekly eXtra Hour high school gathering), adult Bible study, sodality rosary-making, and service opportunities like senior bingo and the parish Respect Life ministry. Families, students at the parish school, catechists, seniors, and visitors all find a place here — a close-knit Windward Oahu community grounded in the Eucharist and the teachings of the Catholic Church.
Mass times at St. John Vianney
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 8:30–9:00 a.m. in the Church's Confessional Room
- By appointment by calling the Parish Office
- Special evening Communal Penance services during Advent and Lent
Adoration times
- First Saturday of the month at 8:30 a.m. (following the 8:00 a.m. daily Mass)
- Third Wednesday of the month at 7:00 p.m.
- Holy Hour of Adoration — occasional Wednesday evenings (e.g., monthly); see bulletin for the current week's schedule
Parish History
St. John Vianney Parish was carved out of St. Anthony Parish in Kailua on August 1, 1962, to serve the new Enchanted Lake subdivision. Bishop James Sweeney acquired four acres from Bishop Estate in 1959; developer Joe Pao and his wife Evelyn personally built the church in memory of his parents Manuel and Mary Pao, and the church was dedicated on February 24, 1963. The parish school followed in 1965, and the parish marked its 60th anniversary in 2022. The About/History page on the parish website and the school's own history page are the primary sources for this timeline.
- Founded August 1, 1962
- Church dedicated February 24, 1963 by Bishop James Sweeney
- School dedicated September 5, 1965 by Bishop Sweeney
- Founding pastor: Fr. John B. Read
- 60th anniversary celebrated 2022
Our Patron — St. John Vianney
St. John Vianney (1786–1859) was a 19th-century French priest known as the 'Patron of Parish Priests.' By a holy life and a rare gift for preaching and reaching souls in confession, he attracted thousands to his small parish in Ars, France. His feast day is August 4.
- French priest, 1786–1859
- Patron of Parish Priests
- Parish in Ars, France
- Feast day: August 4
Pastor & Staff
The parish is currently served by pastor Rev. Vincent Vu and Permanent Deacon Jerry Tokars. Parish staff include administrator Kamalani Rodrigues, parish secretary (vacant), maintenance lead Glenn Chong, Music Director Robert Mondoy, Religious Education Coordinator Steffanie Beissel, Elementary Religious Education Coordinator (PreK-5) Joan Hiel, and youth ministry leaders including Mary Scott Lau and Mike Wong (eXtra Hour). The school's current principal is Mrs. Caryn DeMello.
- Pastor: Rev. Vincent Vu
- Permanent Deacon: Dcn. Jerry Tokars
- Administrator: Kamalani Rodrigues
- Music Director: Robert Mondoy
- RE Coordinator: Steffanie Beissel
- Elementary RE Coordinator (PreK-5): Joan Hiel
- Maintenance: Glenn Chong
- School Principal: Caryn DeMello
Mass & Sacrament Schedule
Sunday Liturgy of the Eucharist is celebrated at 7:00, 9:00, and 11:00 a.m., with a Saturday Vigil Mass at 5:00 p.m. Weekday Mass is offered Monday and Wednesday–Saturday at 8:00 a.m.; Tuesday (and the first Thursday of each month) is a Communion Service at 8:00 a.m. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is heard Saturdays 8:30–9:00 a.m. in the Confessional Room, by appointment, and at Communal Penance services in Advent and Lent.
- Sunday: 7:00, 9:00, 11:00 AM
- Saturday Vigil: 5:00 PM
- Weekday Mass Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat at 8:00 AM
- Communion Service Tue (and 1st Thu) at 8:00 AM
- Confession: Sat 8:30–9:00 AM and by appointment
Religious Education & Youth Ministry
St. John Vianney partners with parents as the primary educators of their children and offers a full slate of faith formation from PreK through high school. Programs include Children's Liturgy of the Word (PreK-2), Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (PreK-5, Montessori-based), sacramental preparation for First Reconciliation, Confirmation and Eucharist (2nd grade), and a youth ministry program spanning grades 6-12. RCIA/OCIA serves adults seeking full initiation into the Catholic Church, and adult enrichment includes weekly Bible study.
- Children's Liturgy of the Word (PreK-2)
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (PreK-5)
- First Reconciliation / Confirmation / Eucharist (2nd grade and up)
- Middle School Youth Ministry (grades 6-8)
- High School Youth Ministry (grades 9-12)
- eXtra Hour — Wed 6:30 PM high school gathering
- RCIA / OCIA for adults
- Adult Bible Study (Mon AM, Thu PM, during RE classes)
St. John Vianney School & Early Learning Center
St. John Vianney School opened in 1965 for grades 1-8 and is now the second Catholic school in Kailua. Today it runs on a year-round schedule serving 200+ students in K-8, staffed by a long line of Franciscan sisters and lay principals. An Early Learning Center opened in 2003, with a second preschool class (ELC3) added in October 2013. Mrs. Caryn DeMello is the current principal.
- Founded 1965, dedicated by Bishop Sweeney September 5, 1965
- Kindergarten added 1980
- Early Learning Center opened 2003
- ELC3 class added October 2013
- Year-round calendar, 200+ students K-8
- School phone: (808) 261-4651
- School website: http://www.sjvkailua.org/
Music & Liturgy
Music at St. John Vianney is coordinated by Parish Music Director Robert Mondoy (also reachable at the school office line 808-845-8405). The parish celebrates the Diocese of Honolulu's two Holy Days of Obligation — the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception (December 8) and the Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord (December 25) — and publishes a Sunday bulletin with upcoming liturgical events.
- Music Director: Robert Mondoy
- Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception — Dec 8
- Christmas — Dec 25
- Year of Apologetics faith formation program
- Monthly faith formation brochure
Parish Campus & Facilities
The four-acre campus at 920 Keolu Drive is anchored by the 400-seat church. Surrounding facilities include the Parish Center with parish and school offices and meeting rooms, a ten-room school building, the Fr. John Read Center (specialized classrooms, library, kitchen, and computer lab), a 300-seat Parish Hall that can be divided into two sections, the Fellowship Lanai used for hospitality after Masses, and the pastor's residence.
- Church (seats 400)
- Parish Center (offices and meeting rooms)
- 10-room school building
- Fr. John Read Center
- Parish Hall (seats 300, dividable)
- Fellowship Lanai
- Pastor's residence
Visit, Contact & Connect
The parish office is open weekdays with limited morning hours and is closed on weekends. Visitors and parishioners can also connect through the parish Facebook page, the Religious Education Facebook page, the parish YouTube channel, and a weekly Sunday bulletin posted online. The Diocese of Honolulu is led by Bishop Larry Silva.
- Address: 920 Keolu Drive, Kailua, HI 96734
- Phone: (808) 262-8317
- Fax: (808) 772-5634
- Email: [email protected]
- Diocese: Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu (Bishop Larry Silva)
- Facebook: /SJVKailuaRelEd and /saintjohnvianneyhawaii
- YouTube: youtube.com/c/sjvkailuaparishhawaii
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. John B. Read1962–
Founding pastor; the parish school/Fr. John Read Center is named in his honor.
- Fr. Patrick Freitas
- Fr. Nathan Mamo
- Fr. Joseph Grimaldi
- Fr. Thomas Gross
- Fr. Peter Miti
- Rev. Vincent Vu
Current pastor.