Our Lady of Peace

The Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace is naturally one of the first churches for us to visit as it is located in downtown Honolulu which is just a lazy 10-minute stroll from our condo. We feel so blessed to be so close to a place with so much sacred history!

The first Catholic missionaries to Hawaii were three priests from the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary -- Fathers Alexis Bachelot, Patrick Short and Abraham Armand. They arrived in Honolulu from France, with an entourage of other lay brothers, in 1827. The missionaries shortly thereafter acquired a royal land grant from King Kamehameha III. On this property was erected the first Catholic church in Hawaii, where the cathedral stands today.

A bit of dark Hawaiian history: Catholics were persecuted and expelled from Hawaii from around 1829 to 1839, mostly at the behest of American protestant missionaries who had political clout and were favored by the monarchy. So, construction of the basilica did not formally begin until 1840 and it was completed, and the church was consecrated and dedicated to Our Lady of Peace in 1843.

This is also where St. Damien of Molokai was ordained a priest. He came to Hawaii when he was not yet a full pledged priest. It is said that he has presided over mass here. The cathedral is also the starting point of St. Marianne Cope's ministry.