Immaculate Conception

It is the long Labor Day weekend, and we are in the neighbor island of Kauai to run half of the marathon on Sunday. We are staying at the Kiahuna Plantation in Poipu Beach. We initially thought it was a great idea to get around the island by public bus. Well, it was great until we had to get off the #30 shuttle and trudge close to a mile with my 30-pound luggage rolling on unpaved surfaces, in the hot afternoon sun, to get to the Grand Hyatt for packet pick-up. To add insult to injury, we had to commandeer an Uber ride to drop us off our Airbnb instead of retracing our ordeal to the bus stop. So much for public transportation on an island paradise. They just do not run like they do in big cities. We finally gave in and rented a car.

And a rental car was what made it possible for us to visit the Immaculate Conception church in Hanama’ulu, a short drive from the car rental pick-up place. The town and surroundings felt like a mix of old residential and bustling newer commercial areas. Like other communities in Hawaii, it flourished due to the sugar plantations in the late 18th century when migrant workers, mostly Filipinos, settled on the island. Established in 1924, the church is beautiful and well-maintained. When you walk in, you sense it is an old church, officially antique since last year; and it makes you joyful to be able to bask in such a solemn place … even when we visited on a rather cloudy day.

I read a review somewhere that Immaculate Conception was the most welcoming parish they have ever visited. They were not fibbing. A few minutes after we snapped some photos, walked around a bit, and used the restrooms, a parishioner approached us, welcomed us, and offered to take our photos by the grotto. When he learnt we were visiting churches in the area and that we probably would not be attending Saturday vigil mass at their church, he recommended for us to visit Holy Cross also, just a hop, skip and jump away from St. Raphael where we said we were going to hear mass that night.

Hence started our three-church pilgrimage in Kauai. I originally thought we would only be able to visit St. Raphael (by public bus), if that, since there was still quite a walk from the bus stop to the church, on pretty much dirt road, and we were saving our legs for the half marathon the next day.